Ed Edd n' Eddy: Senior Year
by Mr. Alaska
Summary: People say things change when you get older. But for Ed Edd n' Eddy, some things never change, even when you're a senior. Follow along as the Eds try to survive senior year... Or more importantly, survive the Kankers. Mainly Edd/Marie. More Later. R&R!
1. Some Things Never Change

Pairing: Edd/Marie

Rating: T

Author's Notes: Hello again, my fellow Ed Edd n' Eddy fans. As you all my already know, I'm redoing _Been So Alone_ because I wasn't really happy with how the first attempt panned out. It had no real plot, didn't cover enough detail, and was rushed. I know you all liked it nonetheless, but I wanted to give you all something more. Something that would stand out. So, I decided to trash the old Ed Edd n' Eddy story and decided to go ahead and make a whole new story. This one will actually have a plot, some good detail, and better written scenes. So please, enjoy the new story and don't forget to review if liked.

_**WARNING! PLEASE READ! **_

Also, if you all want a visual on how the characters look like in my story, go to DeviantArt, and type in **VampireMeerkat**. Her work is freakin' awesome, and that is how the characters are gonna look like in this story.

Chapter 1: Some Things Never Change

It was a chilly October day in the small town of Peach Creak, with the temperature hovering around 18 and 20 degrees. All the leaves were long gone and jack-o-lanterns were placed on every doorstep in the cul-de-sac, signaling that Halloween was steadily approaching. But while most were getting excited about Halloween nearing ever closer, some of Peach Creak's residents weren't as enthusiastic. Edd sat at his desk in his room, finishing up on the homework he was given to do over the weekend. He had put it off for too long that weekend, having been preoccupied with helping his friends Ed and Eddy find jobs.

Even though he was now 18, Double D's physical features hadn't really been altered. He was taller now, standing at 5'10". The previous year, however, Double had finally came out and revealed what was under his hat to the world. He was hiding the fact that he had long, beautiful black hair that went down his entire back. When he was young, his mother had kept telling him how she adored his hair. So, with the help of hair gel, bobby pins, and his old black hat, Double D had been able to shroud his hair from the world. But now, feeling he didn't have to be ashamed of it, now goes around with it hanging everywhere, with his new green hat perched right atop. He wore a long, baggy white dress shirt that once belonged to his father, when he was 18. Sure, it might have been a size too big for him, but Double D liked it, and wore it often with his long black tie. He also had on a pair of baggy blue cargo pants and a pair of lighter blue shoes.

'Okay,' he thought tiredly, putting his pencil to his paper. 'Carry the four…. Subtract the 16.… Multiply by 3.14.…' Even though he had straight A's in every class but Gym, Double D personally didn't like homework that much. He felt like if the school would just stop giving them pointless busy work and have them do this in _class_, there wouldn't be any need to do it at home, where it was supposed to be their time to relax. Because between school and his job at the electronics store at the Peach Creak Mall, he valued his two days of freedom…. Or what is supposed to be his freedom.

_Buzz! Buzz!_

Double D sighed when his cell phone started vibrating. He picked it up off his desk, looked at the caller ID, saw that it was Eddy, and answered. "Hey Eddy. Any luck at the food court?" Earlier that day, Ed and Eddy had dropped of applications for jobs at the food court at the mall. The manager said he'd take a look at them, and told them to come back later that day.

"Hey Sockhead," Eddy's deeper voice answered, still calling Edd by his childhood nickname. "Me and Lumpy got the jobs. We start Tuesday, after school." You see, believe it or not, Eddy was the first of the Eds to get tired of scamming people. Sure, Double D himself never liked it all that much, but he only went along with it because his friends enjoyed it so much. But Eddy soon realized that the scams were ultimately pointless, rarely benefited him, and were more trouble then they were worth. So, after Eddy quit, Ed soon followed suit.

Double D smiled and leaned back in his chair. "That's splendid, Eddy. I'm glad you and Ed are finally joining me on the path to adulthood." He heard Eddy scuff on the other line, which was his response every time he sensed that his hat wearing friend was about to give a lecture. "Personally, I feel you two have been squandering too much of your time partying lately. Honestly, your's and Ed's grades have been hanging on only by a thread for far too long. If you two would actually apply yourselves to something and just…!"

"Damn, you bitch more than my mom," Eddy groaned, interrupting Double D's rant. When he heard Double D huff, Eddy continued. "Listen Sockhead. The only reason me and Monobrow are gettin jobs is because our parents are makin' us. Yeah, I'm 18 and should've already had a job, but mooching off your parents are what high schoolers are supposed to do. If they hadn't threaten to take the keys to my van, I'd still be a bum." Eddy let out a loud yawn. "Anyway, I'm gonna be working at McDonald's at the cash register, and Ed's gonna be picking up the trays and mopping…. Not the best jobs in the world, but at least my folks are happy."

Double D wanted to talk some more, but he knew he had to finish his homework. Because he knew that if he got more involved in the conversation, time would bitch slap him in the face and speed up on him. "Yes, well, I'd love to keep this…_intriguing _conversation going," Double D jumped in, cutting off Eddy before he could continue onto a different subject, "but I must resume my studying. This homework is due tomorrow and is worth a great deal of points…. Which reminds me," he added, raising an eyebrow, "don't _you_ have homework you should be doing, Eddy? You are failing that class, after all."

Eddy scuffed again. "Sure Sockhead," he said sarcastically, "I'll get right on that." Double D wanted to give him another lecture, or at least try to. But, he knew it wouldn't do him any good. He was stubborn as a child, he's still stubborn as a teenager, and he imagined it wasn't going to get better in his adult years. "Anyway, I'll talk to ya tomorrow at school. I still need to go to the auto shop and replace my tires. My old man said I needed to get snow tires."

"Alright," Edd replied, picking up his pencil, "talk to you tomorrow then." After Eddy hung up, Double D let out a long sigh. 'Some things just stay the same,' he thought, finishing up his equation.

After he had finished the worksheet, he was about to move on to his last assignment. But, he was horrified when he realized he had left it at school. He growled and banged his head on his desk, cursing underneath his breath. He didn't want to go back to school and waste gas, just to get a notebook. But he didn't want to come to school without it and put a smudge on his flawless assignment deadline record. Beside, his parents were still working. "Ah well," he sighed, putting on his grey coat, "guess it's inevitable."

He stepped outside his house and got into his red 1999 SC1 Saturn. But as he backed out of his driveway, he took a second to look around.

Absolutely nothing had changed.

Same houses, same lawns, same neighbors, same everything. He looked around some more and saw Rolf, happily hauling grass from his front lawn to his backyard, undoubtedly to feed his animals.

Rolf hadn't changed all that much either. He still spoke in his goofy foreigner way, and he was still as skinny as he was when he was younger. His hair had grown a little longer, giving him a more mature look. His voice was a little deeper, but besides that, he was still the same old Rolf.

Double D looked around, making sure there weren't any cars in his vicinity. When it was clear, he back up into the round-about that made the cul-de-sac, sighed, and turned on the radio before finally leaving. But honestly, he just turned on his radio so he had something to listen to while driving. He didn't care what it was, just as long as it was noise.

Like his room, his car was incredibly clean and everything was labeled. His armrest, his steering wheel, glove compartment, everything…. It was a annoying habit of his. He needed things to be clearly labeled when it's his. Otherwise, it would be in his mind the whole day. He looked at his clock and saw it was 5:26pm. Since he and the principal were on good terms, he figured he wouldn't have trouble getting in without being grilled about why he was there in the first place.

As he passed through Peach Creak itself, he sighed again at how barely anything had changed in all the years he had lived here. It was as if this town was permanently frozen in time, where Father Time only allowed its inhabitants to change and grow older…. Don't get confused, he loved Peach Creak and all that lived there. He just wondered if life was always going to be this routine.

Finally, he arrived at Peach Creak High. There were cars in the staff parking lot, leading Double D to assume that if anyone, the principal was there.

Double D took a deep breath as he pulled into the parking lot. He turned off his radio, turned off his engine, and got out, closing and locking his door behind him. After shoving his keys down deep into his pocket, he walked across the parking lot, onto the steps of the school, sighed, and walked in, thinking only one thing.

'I hate homework….'

_**Five Minutes Later….**_

He came back out, his notebook and textbook both tucked under one arm. He was glad he didn't have to deal with any authority figures when he entered. Apparently there was some meeting going on, and he was able to sneak in without anyone noticing. 'Note to self,' he thought, slowly going down the steps of the school, 'keep notebook and textbook at side at all times.' Rummaging through his pocket, he fumbled around until he heard the jingle-jangle of his keys. But as he was pulling them out, he suddenly heard a familiar, and otherwise _dreaded_ voice, coming from behind him.

"Forgot your stuff at school again, huh?"

Double D's body suddenly went stiff when he realized that voice belonged to long time childhood stalker and self proclaimed "girlfriend" Marie Kanker. 'Why? Why does these things keep happening to me?' Slowly, Double D turned around.

Out of all three of the Kanker sisters, Marie Kanker had to have changed the most dramatically. While she used to be a little taller then Double D, she's now only about two inches shorter than he was. Her once short, normally messy hair was now almost as long as Double D's hair, and was nearly as bushy as a lion's mane. But even with the extra hair, the right side of her face was still concealed, the same as when they were younger. And while she still had on deep blue eye shadow, she also started applying a little eyeliner as of lately, to "spice up her flare" as she puts it. She still wore her regular black tank-top, but it was now covered by her new brown, baggy coat, which like Double D's dress shirt, was one or two sizes too big. Then finally, she had on the blue combat pants and black sneakers she had always worn.

Now, while almost everything stayed the same in Peach Creak, one thing that had changed were the Kanker sisters. But not in the way Ed, Edd or Eddy had hoped. The Kankers still followed them around, showing them unwanted affection. But what changed was _**HOW**_ they did it. Unlike when they were kids, which was nothing but merciless torturing and relentless kisses, now it was more planned; more crafty. Now, the Kankers were more smooth and in control. Sure, they still made it obvious that they were in love with the three boys, but not to the point to where they ambushed them and forced themselves on them like in their early years….

Though, for Double D, it still felt the same now as it did then…. He felt trapped.

Marie took a step forward, blowing a bubble with her pink chewing gum. Double D's heart sped up a little bit as he took a step backwards, matching her advance with his retreat. "U-umm…. G-good evening, M-Marie," Double D stammered, as sweat started building up on his brow. "I-indeed…. I s-seem to have u-unintentionally and c-carelessly left my supplies here b-by mistake."

He didn't know why Marie freaked him out so much. Even now, when he was a mature 18 year-old boy who had gotten over his phobia of girls and that kind of stuff, he still had the same fear in his heart when he saw Marie as when he was younger. He admitted, as a girl, Marie Kanker was not ugly. As a matter of fact, he thought she had an almost mysterious beauty in her. But still, the way she looked at him, the way she grinned at him, the way she talked to him, still sent a shiver crawling up his spine. Maybe he just couldn't get over all the torture she put him through in his younger years. Maybe it was something about how she held herself and how she always had a hint of mischievousness in her smirks.

He didn't know exactly what it was. All he knew was that to this day, Marie Kanker could still strike fear in his heart with a simply glance.

With a sly smirk on her face, Marie crept closer and closer, with Double D backing up to the point to where he was backed up onto the hood of his car. Then, Marie leaned forward, almost hovering directly over Edd, with their faces only inches apart. She giggled. "You're still cute when you're afraid, ya know that?" Her voice was no longer shrill, but now soft, almost mystical and seducing at times. She then placed both hands next to Edd's head, pinning him in a sense. "You still think I'm a little scary, huh?"

Blushing, Double D scowled to one side and huffed. "Well, in o-order?" Rolling her eyes, Marie nodded, humoring him. "Y-yes, you've m-made it clear t-to me that you th-think I'm "cute" wh-when I am e-experiencing fear…. A-and I w-wouldn't say you're scary…. M-more like _excessively intimidating_."

Hearing this, Marie raised her eyebrow and backed off…. That was what Double D meant by _smooth_ and _in control_. She got what she wanted, which was to simply impose fear in the boy and get close to him. Now that that was accomplished, she was done…. Kinda.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that, _Dreamboat_," she almost sang, bringing back a frequently used nickname she gave him. Now that he had space, Double D stood up, but still kept an eye on the girl. After spitting her now flavorless gum onto the pavement, she turned, and entered the school for some unknown reason.

Now, Double D was alone.

'Damn, every time,' Double D thought, frustrated. He then remembered that he needed to get home before his parents did. Normally, he would tell his parents every time he would go out, mainly because his mother was always worried about her only son driving. But since this was not even a 10 minute ordeal, he figured he could let this one slip.

But nevertheless, he got into his car, threw his notebook and textbook into the passenger seat, buckled up, and started his car. Before leaving, however, he looked back at the school, oddly enough thinking about Marie…. Or more specifically, how he still wished he could conquer his meaningless fear of her. But, he finally managed to back out of the parking space, and exited the parking lot. But as he left, he knew one thing was certain.

Some things never change…. Marie Kanker was living proof of that.

_**To Be Continued…**_

YEAH! HAHAHA! The first chapter of what I think will be the BEST Ed Edd n' Eddy fanfic ever! What? I deserve to be overconfident. After all, I'M MR. ALASKA!…. Okay, all kiddin' aside, how did you all like the story. I know. It isn't like the first one. But I thought we should actually _WORK UP_ to the dramatic and intimate parts, am I right? Don't worry, the rest of the cul-de-sac gang will be introduced soon. As will the other two mischievous Kanker sisters. **REMEMBER: For a good visual of the character's appearances, go to DeviantArt and type in **_**VampireMeerkat**_**! **Just thought I should make that perfectly clear. Please leave plenty of reviews if liked. I hope to hear from all of you really soon. Until next time! PEACE!

Sincerely, Mr. Alaska :D


	2. Life as a Senior

Pairing: Edd/Marie, and more as the story progresses.

Rating: T

Author's Notes: Well, how was the first chapter? Do you like how it seemed to flow better than the lest story did? I personally think will turn out great…. So, we can all see Double D's dilemma in this story. He thinks things will never change for him, or for anyone in the town of Peach Creak. Even though he is a senior in high school, nothing had changed a;; that much, besides how people look now. But what had changed over the years were the Kanker sisters; Marie to be precise. She's more cunning, more deceitful, and still head over heels in love with Edd. How will things pan out for Eddward and his friends? Well, that's what this chapter is for. Please read and review if liked. I thrive on feedback, and I seriously need my fix. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2: Life as a Senior

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEE…! SLAM!_ Double D woke up to the blaring sound of his alarm clock, and as if on total reflex, his hand came slamming down on it. He let out a tired groan, forcing himself to get out of bed. He had trouble doing his final page of homework the night before, for reasons unknown to him. He was up until 8:30pm, working on problems that now, thinking back, weren't that hard. He rubbed his eyes and let out a loud yawn, before pulling out his usual attire from his closet. He looked at his clock again, just to make sure it was the time he wanted it to be. It read 6:30am. And since school started at 7:45am, he had plenty of time to prepare for the ultimately boring day ahead of him.

He walked into his bathroom, barely able to walking in a straight line. Double D was never a morning person. He couldn't concentrate as well and his body was always half asleep. A shower was the only remedy for that. But before he could turn on the hot water, there was a knock at the door. "Oh Eddward Honey." It was his mother. She and his father always had to leave for work around the time he gets up. But, on rare occasions, his mother would actually talk to him before leaving. "Your father and I are heading off. Be sure to pack your lunch and brush your teeth." His mother knew she didn't have to tell him that. She knew her son was a genius. But, in a way, it made her feel more like a parent to talk to him instead of leaving him piles of sticky notes.

"Thanks mom," Edd yawned, reaching for the shower knob again.

But like the first time, he was interrupted by his mother's voice. "Oh, one more thing before I leave... Your friends are done stairs waiting for you." Double D's eyes snapped open. "Do make sure they don't make a mess." Then, with that said, he heard his mother walk off.

Double D sighed. He was use to having Ed and Eddy showing up at his house early on schooldays. Usually, they do that so they could get answers for the previous night's homework…. But, they also do it just because they wanted to hang out.

_**Five Minutes Later…**_

Double D, now clothed and clean, walked out of his bathroom with a comb in hand. Since he started showing off his impressive hair, he found it was essential to keep it nice and tidy…. So basically, it was just another thing for him to fixate over. He walked down stairs, combing his slightly damp hair and entered his kitchen. There, sitting at his table, eating his cereal, sat Ed and Edd, joking amongst one another.

Eddy, out of all of the Eds, had changed the most out of all of them. He was no longer the shortest kid in the cul-de-sac. On the contrary, now he was almost as tall as Ed. Not only that, he was nearly as bulky as his older brother was. He still had his head shaved, and had only a few long strands of hair jetting out of his head. Only now, he had a few strands of hair going down the back of his head, and curling up at the ends. His face had a little stubble, showing that he had started shaving. He wore a long sleeve white shirt, with a black short sleeve shirt over it. Finally, he had on a baggy pair of blue jeans, and a pair of red sneakers.

Ed, oddly enough, had changed even less then Double D had. He still had the same hair and wore clothes that were similar to the clothes he wore growing up; a green short sleeve jacket, with a sleeveless red shirt underneath. He had, however, started wearing glasses. Apparently, all those years of watching monster marathons up close and reading comics in dim light had finally caught up to him. Though, he didn't mind. And like Eddy, Ed had on a pair of baggy blue jeans and red sneakers.

When Double D entered the kitchen, Eddy smiled at him smugly. "Mornin' Sleeping Beauty," he began, getting a snicker from Ed. Double D rolled his eyes and sat down at the table, grabbing an apply from the fruit bowl. "You got the answers to last night's homework? Me and Monobrow forgot to do it."

Double D sighed, opened his backpack, pulled out his notebook, and handed it to Eddy. Edd knew he should say no and make Ed and Eddy do their own work, but his weak nature forbid him from doing that. "Don't forget to show "your" work, you guys," he said dryly, before taking a bite of his apple. "The teacher won't accept just answers…. Makes her think the students _cheat _or something."

Ed smiled obliviously as he and Eddy jotted down Double D's answers. "But we're not cheatin' Double D," he replied, his voice slightly deeper than what it used to be. "We're just _goin' over each other's answers_. Isn't that right Eddy?"

"That's right Lumpy," Eddy snickered, with a little bit a evil hanging on his words. "Nothing wrong with working in a group, discussing and sharing the problems and answers, after all." Double D looked at his friend for a second with a raised eyebrow, before sighing and taking another bite of his apple. Eddy was always leading Ed the wrong way, one way or another. But luckily, he was always around to help correct everything.

Finishing up his apple, Edd tossed the apple core in the nearby trashcan. And, after Ed and Eddy had written down the answers, Double D stood up. He looked at the clock that read 7:15am. "Well gentlemen," he said, picking up his backpack and swinging it over his shoulder, "we really should be shoving off. School starts in a half an hour, and I like to get there early."

Eddy sighed as he and Ed deposited their milky bowls in the sink. "Yeah, yeah, we know," he groaned, as he and Ed also slipped on their backpacks. He saw Double D reaching for his car keys in his pocket, and stopped him. "Hold on there, Hamlet," Eddy said, using one of Double D's many nicknames, "you can bum a ride off me. You give answers, you earn miles." That had been a rule with them ever since they started driving. If Double D gives them answers for work they were too lazy to do themselves, they always offer up rides as a trade. So, Double D allowed a small smile to grace his face, before placing his keys on his counter and following his friends outside.

Eddy's vehicle of choice was none other than the old abandoned van from the junkyard. The previous year, after getting his license, Eddy showed the beaten up van to his dad and convinced him to help him rebuild it. It took a few months to do overall. They had to find the right parts, replace the shag interior, replace the waterbed with a large, king-sized mattress, work on the engine, the whole kit n' caboodle. But after it was done with and insured, both Eddy and his dad thought it was worth the work.

Eddy got into the driver's seat, while Ed got the passenger's seat and Double D got the mattress. After buckling up, Eddy started the van and turned on the radio. Double D groaned when he chose "108.3-Hard Rock" station. Out of all the music he hated, hard rock had to be at the top of the list. But luckily, he had a pair of earplugs on his person at all time. So, he simply put them in, tuned out the obnoxious noise, closed his eyes and enjoyed the vibrations the van made when it ran.

_**Five Minutes Later…**_

The Eds rolled into the school parking lot, still having 25 minutes before school actually started. Eddy turned off the radio along with the car, and let out a tired sigh. "Yo Monobrow," he said, getting his denser friend's attention, "you think you can spare some cash?" He pulled his pockets inside-out, showing that he was flat penniless. "I need a few dollars for lunch."

Ed nodded. "Sure Eddy," he said happily, reaching into his back pocket. But his smile turned into a frown when he didn't feel his wallet in his back pocket. He tried the other pocket, but it wasn't there either. "Sorry Eddy," he apologized, "I guess I left my wallet at my place."

Frustrated, Eddy banged his head against his steering wheel, causing his horn to go off. "You'd lose your head if it wasn't screwed on tight, Lumpy," he grumbled, reaching for his door.

"Thanks Eddy," Ed thanked, causing Eddy to stop short in confusion. "I always thought my head was attached quite nicely."

"…." Eddy was silent at first, processing what his friend had just said to him. But then Eddy snickered. 'He's dumb,' he thought, opening up his door, 'but he's fun to have around.' But as Ed, Double D and Eddy got out of the van, someone else's voice was heard from in front of them.

"Check it out girls. Our men are finally here. Don't they look cute today?"

Every Ed went stiff at the all too familiar voice. "_Kankers…_" Eddy growled, as he, Ed and Double D turned. There, standing no more than five feet from them, stood Lee, Marie and May Kanker, all with mischievous smiles plastered on their faces.

Lee Kanker had changed just as much as Marie had over the years. The normal red, puffy hair she had growing up was now long and straightened, going down past her shoulders. Though, she still found a way to have it so that her eyes continued to be hidden from the world. She was taller than both her sisters, but only by a little bit. He wardrobe had also changed. now, instead of the white w/red polka dotted top, she now wore a long, white w/gray polka dotted dress. She said that the dress would "help her bag her man" when asked why she made the change in her attire.

Standing beside her was Marie, chewing gum and sending sly looks at Double D.

May stood beside Marie, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger, smiling at Ed with a look that matched Marie's. The blonde had changed her hairstyle halfway through high school. Her hair was now done up in a ponytail, which went down to the middle of her back. She was now a cheerleader, believe it or not, thinking it would help her get Ed's attention. Her normal gray shirt and red shorts were now replaced with a pink, long sleeve V-neck and a blue skirt that went just below her knees.

Lee, with her hands on her hips, started walking forward towards the Eds, with he sisters following close behind. "What?" She asked, pretending to sound sad. "Isn't my _Little Eddy_ happy to see his girlfriend?"

Standing his ground, Eddy folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes at the red-head, who now only stood a foot in front of him. "Yeah," he said sarcastically, "I'm as happy to see you as much as I am to see the Grim Reaper." Over the years, Eddy had grown a backbone when it came to dealing with Lee. Sure, he was still scared of her and she knew it, but he promised himself he wouldn't allow his fear to show, and refused to give her that satisfaction of visibly scaring him…. But, while he'd never admit it, he did find Lee's change in appearance…less frightening.

While Lee continued flirting with Eddy, May came around and met up with her "_boyfriend_" on the other side of the van. Ed was pressed up against the van door with May standing before him, blushing and with her hands behind her back, giving her an innocent look. "Hello _Big Ed_," she practically sang, reaching up and fiddling with a lock of her hair. "You're looking nice and manly today."

Ed stiffened up, pressing his back further against the van and sweat building up on his face. "May," he began, looking around nervously, "y-you're too close to Ed…. Ed needs his space." May giggled at Ed's lack of vocabulary, reminding her of when they were younger. When she didn't appear to heed his hidden request, Ed gulped. "Double D…. What do we do?" Ed looked to for his hat wearing friend, only to notice he was nowhere to be seen.

"Double D bolted a few minutes ago, Monobrow," Eddy announced, as he and Lee started circling each other in the parking lot, as if they were two dogs in a fight. "He ran into the school with his _Kanker_ behind him…. Looks like we're on our own on this one."

_**Meanwhile, Inside Peach Creak High…**_

'Why do these things keep happening to me?' Double D thought, inadvertently quoting himself from the evening before. He found himself being pinned on the gym floor by Marie, who was sitting atop his chest and smiling wickedly. She had chased him throughout the entire school, and had finally caught him when he tried to cut through the gym.

Marie looked down at him and giggled. "This never gets old, does it _Honey_?" She asked, relishing how much Double D was sweating and how much he struggled to break free from her capture. But, it was all in vain. Because unlike Double D, Marie had perfect grades when it came to _Gym Class_. So, easily overpowering him, Marie continued. "Remember when me and my sisters would chase you Eds around the cul-de-sac, before smothering you all with our kisses? Those were the days, weren't they?"

As Marie gazed down as him with desiring eyes, Double D's heart started beating faster and his whole body started shaking. Then, in a spark of evil intuition, Marie fluttered her eyes seductively. "In fact," she whispered, slowly lowering her face towards his, "I wonder if it still feels the same…"

As she puckered her lips and slowly closed the gap between them, Double D's eyes snapped open in horror. 'NO! Not again,' he screamed in his head, as he squinted his eyes shut, bracing himself for the painfully familiar experience he thought they'd outgrown. He pressed his back as close to the gym floor as possible, wishing he could actually sink into the earth and disappear.

_**RING!**_

The school bell went off, signaling that school had started. The noise startled Double D, causing him to open his eyes. His heart nearly stopped when all he could see was Marie's face, with her lips no more than a centimeter away from his…. But then, Edd caught wind of Marie's scent. She was wearing perfume, which had the strong sent of flowers; lilacs to be precise. When that smell was picked up by Double D, for reasons unknown to him, his heart started beating even faster and his face started warming up.

He turned his attention back to Marie herself when he heard her giggle. She than got up, stood over him and bent back down, so her face was once again hovering over his. "Aw well," she giggled, tracing her index finger along the side of his face, "I guess you were "_saved by the bell_" as they say…. See you next time, Sweetie." Then, instead of on the lips, Marie placed a light kiss on Double D's forehead before running off.

But oddly enough, Double D didn't immediately get up after the Kanker was gone. Instead, he laid there were a few seconds, contemplating what had happened just then. For a split second, Double D's body actually relaxed, despite being mere centimeters from his childhood tormentor's face. He sniffed the air, and found out that Marie's perfume was now on him, making him smell like a lilac tree. And even though the whole event itself was one Double D didn't want to experience again anytime soon, he reached up and felt his forehead where Marie had kissed him.

For reasons Edd couldn't explain logically, his forehead was tingling….

_**Four Minutes Later, in First Period Math…**_

Double D managed to make it to his first period class right before the second bell went off. Ed and Eddy were already in their seats in the back, with their clothes slightly ruffled and both with a lipstick smudge on their cheek. Eddy, with a sour expression, turned to Double D and raised a eyebrow. "Marie got ya too, huh?" Double D couldn't see it, but he knew there was a lipstick smudge on his forehead, just like the ones on Ed's and Eddy's cheek.

Double D sighed and nodded. "Indeed," he answered, taking a seat in between Ed and Eddy. But Edd didn't elaborate further than that, not feeling up to talking right at the moment. Instead, he looked around the classroom, seeing all the cul-de-sac kids he knew growing up.

In the front corner of the classroom, Kevin was sitting next to Rolf, talking about football, motorcycles, and other manly stuff.

Kevin looked very much like he did when they were younger. He was taller, only a few inches shorter than Eddy was. Surprisingly enough, even though he was sorta like a "bully" to Eddy in his younger years, Kevin started backing off when Eddy hit his sudden growth spurt, which resulted in him being bulkier than he ever thought possible. He replaced his old cap with a dark green cap, which he wore backwards. He also had on a long, green sleeveless shirt, baggy blue cargo pants, and a pair of black and white sneakers.

Double D turned his head slightly to the right and saw Nazz, humming to herself and reading a fashion magazine she had brought from home.

Nazz's appearance had changed quite a bit since her childhood. She had grown a little over the years, almost being as tall as Kevin. Her hair was still in the same style, but was now a little shorter. She wore a pink, thin sweater, which hung on tightly by her shoulders. She also had on tight blue jeans, and a pair of pink sneakers. While Double D had to admit Nazz was still as pretty as ever, he knew that she had a thing for Kevin, but hadn't really made it known to him.

Finally, Double D looked at Jonny "2X4" sitting a few seats in front of his own.

Despite being taller and losing a lot of weight, Jonny really hadn't changed at all. He still wore his gray shirt and the same pair of blue shorts. He did, however, stop bringing Plank wherever he went, as of a few years ago. Nobody knows why, though. Jonny had said he didn't need Plank anymore, since he had real friends now. But while everyone else believed him and didn't bother to ask any other questions, Double D knew that wasn't true. One day, while passing Jonny's house, Edd caught a glimpse of the hunk of wood through Jonny's bedroom window, propped up against his computer. He wanted to say something, but decided against it, seeing as Jonny apparently didn't want anyone to know the truth.

Double D opened his backpack and reached around for his supplies. "Hey Dorks!" Ed, Edd and Eddy turned to Kevin, who was leaning back in his desk with a smug look on his face. "I see you guys are still having problems controlling your _girlfriends_. Couldn't outrun them this time?"

Eddy smirked at the comment, seeing it as a challenge. "You could say that," he replied, scratching the back of his neck. "I stood my ground and she ended up catching me off guard when the bell rung…. How about you, Shovel Chin? You have anyone to leave lipstick marks on _your_ face?"

When Kevin blushed and didn't answer, Jonny laughed. "BURN!"

Kevin glared at him. "Stow it, Mellon Head."

Rolf let out a hearty laugh. "Calm yourself, Kevin," he said, patting him on the back, "like the Ed boys, you too will find your maiden. I, the son of a shepherd, also have someone waiting for me when I return to my homeland."

Nazz closed her magazine and giggled. "Well, I think it's cute." Everyone looked at the blond girl in confusion. "How the Kankers still chase Ed, Double D and Eddy around, I mean," she clarified. "Even now, they still follow them around wherever they go. I think it's kinda cute."

Eddy raised a eyebrow at Nazz. "It's called **_stalking_**," he specified, "which is illegal in most states, if I'm not mistaking."

Nazz turned to Eddy with a sly grin. "If it's illegal, why hadn't you called the police yet?…. Unless you _like_ her stalking you."

Double D sighed when Eddy countered the comment with something clever sounding. Everyday it was like this. When there was evidence that he and his friends had a run-in with the Kankers, it was the talk of the cul-de-sac. It was as if this was _entertainment_ to them; a reality love/comedy sitcom or something. As he rubbed the lipstick off his forehead, the teacher walked in and placed her stuff on her desk, officially starting class. And as Double D and the rest of the class started handing in last night's homework, he let out another sigh. He was still thinking about what had happened minutes before class with Marie. He wondered if things will ever change with him and Marie Kanker.

'Will she ever leave me alone…?'

_**To Be Continued…**_

HAHAHAHAHA! How was that, y'all? Was the Ed, Edd n' Eddy-ness to your liking? So the Kankers have been introduced, and they're still after the Eds. Though, I suppose you all knew that already. What Ed, Edd n' Eddy fanfic would be complete if the Kankers weren't after them? Am I right? Anyway, I hope you all liked the update. I know I haven't introduced Jimmy or Sarah yet. But that is because they're either freshmen or sophomores. I haven't decided yet. Did you all like the other characters? Were they **_IN_** character compared to the series? Please leave plenty of reviews if liked. Remember, I accept anonymous reviews as well, for all you non-members of FanFiction. Hope to hear from y'all soon, ya hear? PEACE!


	3. Hardware and Headaches

Pairing: Edd/Marie, and more as the story progresses.

Rating: T

Author's Notes: Hahahaha! Man, this story is going well, isn't it? Just one after the other, all you Ed, Edd n' Eddy fanatics are getting spoiled. But it is okay. I am a generous writer, after all…. Anyway, when we last left off, I had introduced the rest of the cul-de-sac gang to you all. All are still the same as when they were kids growing up. But unfortunately, the Kankers are still after the Eds. Aside from running away from the Kankers, doing homework, and holding down a job, what is there were a guy to do? Well, that's Double D's dilemma…. But I think this chapter is going to be the funniest yet. So sit back, relax, pop in a jawbreaker, and enjoy the wild ride that is _**Ed, Edd n' Eddy: Senior Year! **_

Chapter 3: Hardware and Headaches

_**RING!**_

Double D, along with his friends, let out a relieved sigh when the last bell of the day went off. "Finally," Eddy said, as he, Ed and Double D made their way down the halls of the school. "I was about ready to kill myself back there! I tell ya, Ms. Marlin is out ta get me," Eddy ranted, as they exited the school and walked over to the van. For Ed and Eddy, they were only glad school was over because it was…well, school.

But for Eddward, he was glad school was over because today, for some reason, Marie had been messing with him more than usual. As he got into the back, Double D let out a shiver when he remembered what happened at lunch.

_**FLASHBACK**_

It was lunch, and Double D was sitting at the same table he, Ed and Eddy had sat at ever since freshmen year. He had before him a tuna sandwich, an apple, a plastic container with salad in it, a chocolate bar, and a can of soda. Edd was still trying to forget about his encounter with Marie from earlier, rubbing his forehead again, even though the lipstick smudge was long gone.

"So Shakespeare," Double D turned to see Ed and Eddy, coming up from behind him. "You think you can lend me and Lumpy a few bucks? We both left our money at home and need some chow."

Double D let out a sigh/chuckle as he reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet. "You know I spoil you two, right?" He asked smugly, handing both Eddy and Ed five dollars.

"Hey, it not like we don't pay you back," Eddy defended himself, as he and Ed accepted the money. "We give you rides, don't we? That's saving you money on gas, isn't it?" When Double D smirked and nodded his head, Eddy continued. "Besides," Eddy said, in a matter-of-fact type of voice, "after me and Monobrow get some green from McD's, we'll pay you back…. Scout's honor," he added, raising one hand up.

Double D snickered at Eddy's odd sense of humor and nodded. "Okay, Eddy. I get the picture," he said, turning back to his own lunch. "I'll just put this on your guys' "Buddy Tap" than," he mumbled, as he took a bite from his tuna sandwich. Eddy smiled before running off after Ed, who was already in the lunch line.

'God, those two will never change,' Double D thought, as he opened his can of orange soda. He knew that he went above and beyond his duties as a friend when it came to Ed and Eddy. He was always the one who fixed everything when things go wrong, and he was always the one who gave more than he ever received…. But, he didn't mind. He had always been a giver, and that wasn't going to change anytime soon.

Double D put his sandwich on the table and reached for his apple. In the process, Double D looked across the room and saw both Sarah and Jimmy, eating lunch together, as always.

Wherever one went, the other was sure to follow. Not much had changed with the two. They acted the same way, and they were still wearing the same clothes. The only noticeable difference in the two was that two years prier, Jimmy got his braces taken off. But besides that, and Sarah's extremely longer hair ( which almost touched the floor when she stood still ) the two kids had not changed at all. Double D allowed a small smile as he watched to two laugh together, wondering why they haven't started dating yet.

"Aww…. You brought me lunch? How thoughtful." Double D nearly choked on the soda he was drinking when he heard Marie's voice. He turned to his right, and there was Marie, sitting next to him with an uncharacteristically _sweet _smile on her face. "And here I was, thinking you'd never show me any affection for how good I've been to you…. But I see my man knows how to treat his girl." Marie then reached across Double D and snatched his chocolate bar.

Double D sat there, wondering why she hadn't tried to kiss him yet, and, more importantly, why he himself was still sitting there. He felt his heart pick up the pace a little bit, but not much. As Marie unwrapped and took a bit of the chocolate bar, Double D took a deep breath and sighed. Seeing as Marie was acting…_somewhat _like an adult, he figured now would be as good of time as any to try and talk to her. "B-by all means," the boy said nervously, as he picked up his tuna sandwich, "help yourself…."

Marie, hearing her "boyfriend" tell her it was okay, looked at him with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. "This isn't another "reverse psychology" trick, is it?" She asked, remembering the…_unpleasant_ experience from years earlier. "Because if you are, I'd prefer if you'd tune it down this time…. Ya know? So I could actually _**enjoy**_ your attention?"

Keeping a neutral expression, Double D shook his head. "Umm…. N-no, Marie," he answered quietly, reaching for his plastic container, which held his salad, "this isn't another "reverse psychology" trick, I assure you." Double D shivered at the remembrance of that ordeal. His plan to give the Kankers a taste of their own medicine was working perfectly, but because Eddy was so nervous, it tipped Lee off that it was a trick. Ultimately, it all ended like every other plan to get rid of the Kankers; them being smothered by unwanted kisses. "I am simply trying to make your…_unexpected visit_ as pleasant as possible."

Marie looked at Double D curiously, being caught a little off guard by his bold words. However, when she noticed that Double D was shaking, she grinned smugly. "Oh, well thank you, _Dreamboat_," she said, as Double D pulled out a plastic fork from his bag, before taking a forkful of lettuce. She too took another bite of "her" chocolate bar, scooting ever so slightly closer to Edd. "You care more about me than you let on," she continued, enjoying the confused eye gesture Double D gave her, not knowing what she was talking about. "You'd go out of your way to make my company with you enjoyable for the _**both **_of us? You're so sweet, I think I got a cavity."

As Marie got right next to him, Double D instinctively scooted away from her. He saw her smile and giggle, enjoying that even now, he was ever so slightly still running from her. "W-well," Double D stammered, placing his fork in his container, "I-I…. U-umm, I h-have to go n-now. S-Science Class is next, a-and I have s-some stuff to turn into M-Mr. Johnson." He fumbled for his bag before hastily placing his half eaten apple in it. By this point, Double D could sense that Marie was starting to get ideas pertaining to her kissing him in some form.

But as Double D got up and turned to leave, he was suddenly caught by a tight hug from behind. And even without having to see the pale hands with pink nail polish, he knew it was Marie. His body tensed up and his heart started pounding in his chest, unaware of what she had planned for him in this awkward position. From across the cafeteria, Double D saw and heard Kevin, Rolf and Jonny, snickering to each other and giving him thumbs up, all at his suspense.

"You know," she whispered quietly, pressing her mouth right next to his ear, "you still own me a kiss, yet." As Double D caught wind of Marie's lilac perfume again, he took a hard gulp and slammed his eyes shut. As Marie started massaging his chest through his shirt, Double D almost wished he had just left the table as soon as Marie sat down next to him. "But you know what?" Marie asked, suddenly easing up on the chest massage she was giving Edd. She slowly released him from the hug, but kept her mouth right next to Double D's ear so he could hear. "I suppose we can hold up on the kiss and save it for a more…_appropriate_ time and place…. But," she added, before gently placing a kiss on Double D's neck, "I hope it feels the same as when we were younger."

Then, almost in the blink of an eye, Marie was gone. Feeling his neck, he realized that her lips were covered in melted chocolate, presumably from his chocolate bar she jacked from him. 'Oh great,' Double D thought tiredly, as he slumped forward and started making his way towards the Science Lab, feeling defeated, 'now I smell like lilacs _**AND**_ chocolate.' As he ignored Kevin's smart remarks and Rolf's supporting words of encouragement about his "relationship" with Marie, Double D made his way out of the cafeteria and headed towards the Science Lad.

_**END FLASHBACK**_

"So, I heard you were having problems with Marie during lunch," Double D looked at Eddy with a tired expression, as they pulled out of the school parking lot. Looking back in his rearview mirror, Eddy grinned devilishly and arched an eyebrow. "I heard she gave you a _Hershey's Kiss_…. Is that true?"

Confused, Ed turned to Eddy. "She gave Double D candy instead of kissing him?" He frowned and crossed his arms. "Lucky…"

Double D cleared his throat. "Yes…. Well, I can assure you it wasn't a pleasant experience, Ed," he reassured, tightening his tie. Today, Double D had to go to work. "I have to be at work in 10 minutes," he sighed, rummaging through his backpack until he found a nametag that read "Eddward" on it. As he pinned his nametag to his shirt, he sat up. "You think you'll be near enough to the mall to pick me up at 6:30?"

Eddy sighed and shook his head. "Sorry Sockhead, but I'm busy," he said, as the got deeper into the center of Peach Creak. "My folks want me to help them hang up decorations for Halloween. And then, my mom wants me to go shopping with her." When both Ed and Double D gave him strange looks, Eddy continued. "My mom wants to spend more "quality" time with me. She thinks these are going to be the last years I'll be around to spend time with her."

Ed nodded too. "Yeah, I'm busy too, Double D," he said, before letting out a long sigh. "I have to take Sarah to a doctor's appointment because my parents are gonna be at the store."

Double D let out a long, depressed moan. "That's okay," he said, "it's not so cold out. And a little fresh air should do me some good, after all." Secretly, he thought it was pretty chilly outside. But, he had a heavy jacket on. Not to mention he only lived about a quarter mile from the mall. Hell, he walked farther then that during the course of a school day.

About two minutes later, the three arrived at the mall. As they pulled up to the entrance, Double D straightened himself out. "Well, thank you for the ride," he thanked, using the two back doors to get out. Ed and Eddy both waved goodbye as they drove off. But, when they left, Double D groaned and walked into the mall.

'I hate my life….'

_**Four Hours Later…**_

Double D sat at the front counter in Bargain Mike's Electronics Store, with his hand propping his head up. Business was slow, much like every other day he worked there. He looked around, hoping he'd find something that would help the last 10 minutes of his shift pass sooner. He saw television sets, digital cameras, cell phones, and everything else you'd find in a generic electronics store. He first chose this job because he was all about electronics and how things worked. But after working here and seeing how boring it actually was, the only reason he decided to stay was because the pay was good.

Nevertheless, Double D found himself looking at the clock, just watching the seconds tick by. "Greetings, head-in-the-sock Ed boy." Snapping back into reality by the sound of Rolf's voice, Double D bolted off his seat. "O-oh! Good evening Rolf," Double D said, a little startled by how suddenly his foreign friend came out of nowhere. "U-umm…. Can I help you with something?"

Rolf shook his head, smiling. "No, I require no service," he said, crossing him arms across his chest. "Quite the opposite, I'm here to assist _you_." Double D raised a eyebrow at Rolf, not having a clue as to why he needed help…. Or more importantly, what he needed help with. "I've come to assist you with your "Kanker" problem," he clarified, taking a seat in the chair across from Edd.

Double D sighed before taking a seat in his chair. "Well…thank you for your concern, Rolf," he began, using a calm voice, "but I don't need any help handling Marie. I know she can be a handful, but she's nothing I can't handle."

Hearing this, Rolf suddenly dawned a wicked smirk. "Is that so?" He asked, leaning back in his chair. "Because if I remember correctly, it was _you_ who was melting in the Kanker girl's hands during lunch." Remembering what had actually happened, Double D's cheeks turned red from embarrassment. "From where I was sitting, she seemed to have "man handled" you, if I'm not mispronouncing that."

But when Double D blushed and tried to counter that statement, Rolf continued. "Listen," he said, standing up from his chair, "where I am from, girls of that caliber are one in a million. While I personally prefer a sweet, delicate flower like my Anja back home, girls of that ferocity are hard to come by. I never told you this because we were in our younger years, but what you and the blue haired sister do now is considered _courting _where I grew up." Rolf then wiggled his eyebrows and grinned slyly. "Honestly, I'm impressed. Because given your lack of physical fitness, you seem to have attract quite a lovely maiden…. No offence."

"…." Double D didn't say anything. He just sat there, scowling to one side and blushing. He had already went through plenty of teasing from the others for his predicament with Marie. And he had already listened to Nazz talk about how _"cute"_ she thought the whole situation was. So he was used to all types of criticism…. But, as he listened to him words and his tone, Double D realized Rolf wasn't teasing him. Quite the opposite actually, Rolf was being 100% honest to God serious.

Rolf looked at the clock in the corner of the store. It read 6:30pm. "Well Ed boy, I am off," he said, pushing in his chair. "Nana is expecting me home in 15 minutes. Would you, as they say, like to "catch a ride" with me to your place? Victor and Wilfred may be getting on in their years, but the extra weight should give them some much needed exercise."

Finally conquering his blush, Double D cleared his throat, smiled, and shook his head. "N-no thank you Rolf," he replied, taking off his nametag and jamming it into his pocket. "But I think I need the exercise too…. But thanks for the offer." The foreigner smiled nonetheless and walked off, humming a song to himself. Before he too exited the mall, Double D went into the back of the store and told his supervisor "Bargain" Mike he was leaving.

_**Outside the Mall….**_

'Curse my horrible luck! I should have taken Rolf's generous offer and rode with him!' Double D stood in the parking lot of the Peach Creak mall, bundled up in his coat to keep warm. The temperature had dropped more than 15 degrees in the four hours Double D had been working, and the wind was howling something fierce. Trees were flinging back and forth, sending leaves scattering everywhere. He saw stop signs and traffic lights shake violently, almost looking like it was going to be a hurricane…. Well, there were no hurricanes in his area, but that's what it looked like to him. As the could wind pounded against him, Edd braced himself and sighed. 'Well,' Double D thought, burying his hands into his pockets for warmth, 'I guess it won't get any warmer.'

_**HONK! HONK!**_

But before he actually began his chilling journey home, the sound of a car horn was heard over the noisy wind. Curious, Double D turned around to see what was happening. There was a old, rusty red pickup truck parked right near the entrance of the mall, with, you guessed it, Marie Kanker in the driver's seat. 'Oh great,' he thought, a little depressed, 'either I freeze to death out here, or I get abducted by my crazy stalker and possibly never see daylight again.'

"Hey Double D," she shouted from her window, before reaching over and opening the passenger's door, "what the hell are you doin' walkin' out here in this storm? Get your skinny ass in here this instant!" Though, despite Marie's harsh choice of words, Double D heard that she actually sounded worried…. Which was different, seeing as Marie never sounded worried about ANYTHING. But while Double D was still skeptical of Marie's motives for offering him a ride, the cold wind wasn't something he wanted to walk home in.

So, going against the little voice in his head telling him to keep on walking, Double D quickly scurried over to the truck's opened door and hopped in, slamming it behind him.

When Double D got into the truck, however, he was honestly surprised at what he saw. He imagined that there would be empty soda cans all over the place, half eaten food, candy wrappers…basically something that reflected how well she kept her trailer home. But, despite a few empty soda cans, the inside of the pickup truck was otherwise spotless.

Double D then diverted his attention from the truck to Marie. "U-umm…. Th-thanks for the ride," he stammered, scratching the back of his neck. "I…. U-umm…. Didn't know th-the weather was g-going to change so dramatically." Nervous, he looked up at Marie. He was expecting her to me smiling at him menacingly or to suddenly pounce on him. But instead, she just sat there, sending him an almost irritated look.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Double D leapt back a little by the sudden question. "You couldn't call someone and have them pick you up? Why would you even consider walking home in this shitty weather?" For some reason, Marie was mad. And that scared Edd, because he was already scared of her when she was smothering him with affection. So Double D leaned his back against the door as Marie continued. "You're lucky I was here getting groceries, ya know that? I can't believe you, of all people, would've even thought about doing somethin' that…!"

"P-please calm yourself, Marie," Double D interrupted, raising his palms up in defense. When Marie quieted down, Edd cleared his throat. "I-it wasn't as if I had someone to call, you know? My friends were busy and my parents are still working…. And besides," he continued, seeing as Marie's once angry demeanor started lightening up, "I only live a quarter of a mile away. I could handle the wind for at least that long."

As she put her truck into drive, Marie narrowed her eyes at Double D, who was buckling in. "Well, it was still a dumb thing to do," she said, almost in a pouting manner. "You may not care if you come down will hypothermia or some shit, but I do." As Marie pulled out of the parking lot, Double D looked at her, not expecting her to say something like that. "You're supposed to be the smart one, aren't ya? I'm sure you would've been able to come up with something that could've gotten you home, _**without **_risking hypothermia."

As they pulled onto the highway, Double D receded into his seat and started to sweat, feeling a little uneasy. He went over all what had happened that day. First, she chases him down and kisses him on the forehead. Then, during lunch, she hugged him from behind and kissed him on the neck, purposely embarrassing him in front of everyone. Now, she is yelling at him for attempting to walk home in the wind. This was out of the norm, even for Marie. Usually, she was a one-track mind, only interested in pushing her unwanted affection onto him. But now, here she was, actually showing interest in his _well-being_, instead of trying to sneak a kiss from him.

'…. This is a trick,' he thought, scotching over in his seat and sending a suspicious gaze over to Marie as she drove. 'This is just a trick to get me to lower my guard. She is just trying to lead me into a fault sense of safety before….' Stopping and actually thinking about what just went through his mind, Double D groaned and slammed his head against the dashboard. 'Oh God…. When did I get so paranoid?'

Startled by the boy's sudden action, Marie looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What's eatin' you?" She asked, as she pulled into the turn-around of the cul-de-sac.

Pulling up to his house, Double D sat back up and sighed as he grabbed his backpack. "Nothing is _eating_ me Marie," he lied, which was immediately detected by the girl beside him. "Umm…. Thanks for the lift," he thanked, reaching for the door.

"Anytime, Double D," Marie replied. But as he was going to open the door, he stopped, and realized she called him by his preferred nickname again. And the fact that even when he was leaving, she hadn't tried to hug him, pull him back in or kiss him…. She actually just drove him home without trying any of her usual tricks. He turned to look at her, and saw that she was writing something down on a small slip of paper. "Here's my number," she said, looking up with a smirk and handing it to Double D. "Next time you think about walking somewhere in this kind of weather and you don't have anyone to get you, call me."

He looked at it for a second before hesitantly reaching out and accepting it. "Umm…. Sure," he said, smiling in an almost awkward manner as he stepped out of the truck. "I-I'll keep that in mind…. Thanks again for the ride, by the way," he repeated. "That was a…very kind thing to do."

Finally, Marie started to show her normal self. "Oh really?" She asked, fluttering her eyes and licking her lips. "You could repay me in kisses if you'd like."

Laughing nervously, Double D inched back a little, his hand still on the door handle. "Umm…. Will you accept cash?"

Marie rolled her eyes and huffed grumpily, though it was obvious she found his remark somewhat amusing by the small smile on her face. "Fine. Let's just say you own me, alright?" When Double D sighed, he nodded his head. "Cool. I'll see you tomorrow morning then, Sweetie. Don't forget the chocolate bar." Rolling his eyes, Double D finally closed the door and turned to walk into his house.

But as Marie drove away, Double froze on his doorstep when he realized something. He had, unintentionally, just got _Marie's_ phone number. Not only that, but the fact that he had just rode in the same vehicle with _Marie Kanker _had also just caught up with him. He looked down at the slip of paper with Marie's phone number, his eyes wide and his knees shaking.

'WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?'

_**To Be Continued….**_

Hahahaha! Wasn't that a riot? I really enjoyed the end of the chapter the most. What can I say? I couldn't help myself. I also decided to give Rolf, one of my favorite non-Ed characters a little more of a spotlight in this chapter, going a little in dept into his personal life. Turns out his "maiden" is called Anja, who is waiting for her "shepherd" to return to her. I just thought that would be a nice side story for later on…. But anyway, lets get down to the really good stuff. Looks like things are changing between Edd and Marie…_**MUCH**_ to Double D's horror. He now has her phone number, which will inadvertently effect him, along with Ed and Eddy. "How" you may ask yourself? Well, wait until the next chapter and you'll find out. _**DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! I DESIRE FEEDBACK… AND JAWBREAKERS! FEED ME NOW!… **_Sorry bout that…. Hope to hear from y'all soon. :D


	4. McTrouble

Pairing: Edd/Marie

Rating: T

Author's Notes: Damn, I'm on a roll, aren't I? just one after another, after another and after another, man! This is amazing! Things are just starting to heat up for Double D, too. Looks like things with him are Marie are changing…and he isn't sure what to think of it. Don't worry, the romance between the two is still a ways away. This is just some humorous filler, leading up to the good stuff. I'm trying to make the pace perfect, seeing as this is my first Ed, Edd n' Eddy fanfic. Rolf also got some face time, telling Double D about his girlfriend back in his country and about how, to him, they're basically _flirting_ with one another. Then, to make the situation even funnier, Double D's only means of transportation after work is with said Kanker…. But the ride was nothing like he expected it would be. And, by the end of the ride, Double D ended up with Marie's phone number! And he was like "WTF? NOW DID THIS HAPPEN?" Well, the aftermath of that encounter will be mentioned now. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the madness that is _**Ed, Edd n' Eddy: Senior Year!**_

Chapter 4: McTrouble

'…. Today is going to be a living nightmare,' Double D thought, as he drove himself to school. He let out a long yawn, due mostly to a lack of sleep. He was up most of the previous night, dreading going to school that day.

The night before, Double D had accepted a ride home from his stalker, Marie Kanker. At first, the ride proved to be pleasant. Marie kept herself in check and reframed from pulling her usual stunts, much to Edd's relief. She yelled at him for attempting to walk home in less than ideal weather, saying she didn't want anything to happen to him. And, for the first time, Double D actually believed her when she said it. But when they got to his house, her normal frisky behavior started to show. Then, before leaving, Marie offered him her phone number in case he ever needed a ride when his friends were busy.

He still had her number on him, tucked inside his wallet. He didn't honestly think he'd be in that situation anytime soon, but, he figured, it would be a "last resort" if desperately needed.

As he neared the school, he thought back to everything that had happened the previous night. While he was suspicious of the motives Marie had for offering him a ride _**without **_completely man handling him, he couldn't deny that it one of the most "casual" encounters he had ever had with the blue haired Kanker. She looked and sounded genuinely concerned with his well-being for a change, and verbally chewed him out for wanting to walk home. And for Double D, that was something he'd never thought he would experience. Sure, she started acting like her old self after she dropped him off, but Double D could sense she was only goofing around by that point.

And, much to Double D's horror, he realized he actual _**ENJOYED **_it.

Shaking his head violently at the thought, Double D pulled into the parking lot of the school. As he slowed down, he say Eddy's van parked right near the front of the entrance of the school. And, since he didn't see Ed's car anywhere in sight, he figured he rode in with Eddy that morning. So, seeing as there was a parking space right next to Eddy's van, Double D decided to park there.

But as he pulled into the parking spot, he glanced behind him and saw a familiar red pickup truck, parked a few cars down from him. After registering with his brain that is was in fact Marie's pickup, he smirked. He figured that now that he knows what to look for when wondering if the Kanker was around or not, he saw the other night as somewhat beneficial. 'There's a silver lining to everything, I suppose,' Double D thought, as he got out and locked his car. He looked down at his watch, and saw it was only 7:30am. He still had 15 minutes until school started.

But, nevertheless, Double D threw his backpack over his shoulders and made his way inside.

As he entered the school, he looked around and saw no one around. 'Hmm…. They all must be in the cafeteria,' he thought, making his way to his locker. The cafeteria was a popular hangout for kids who arrive to school earlier for whatever reasons. Homework, morning detention, and so on. That's why no one was around when Marie chased him down in the gym.

But, Double D sighed and continued walking until he found his locker. 'Oh yeah,' Edd remembered, as he worked his lock, 'Ed and Eddy started their jobs at McDonald's today after school, don't they?' He smiled evilly to himself as he put away certain folders he won't need immediately. Now it was _**HIS **_turn to have a little fun. 'Maybe I'll drop by after school and give them a little _visit_.' Normally, Double D wasn't one who jumped at chances to embarrass his friends. But, seeing as they made fun of him when he got his job at Bargain Mike's Hardware Store, he figured this was nothing more then sweet payback.

But his evil smile was short lived. When he closed his locker, Marie was revealed, leaning right behind where his door was. "OH DEAR LORD!" Double D let out a startled cry when he saw Marie, with her signature devilish smirk plastered to her face.

"Hi there, Sweetie," she began, leaning against the lockers, chewing on her gum. She smiled at the sight of him looking petrified in fear. "Are you ready to give me that kiss you owe for the ride last night?" When Double D got back up, she walked a little closer to him. "Because for every day you don't give me a kiss, I'll just add on _another_ kiss to your debt."

Double D looked around nervously, knowing that if he ran she would most likely catch him. "C-come now, Marie. S-surely you weren't serious about last night, right?" This is what Double D didn't like about Marie…. She was so _unpredictable_. She was evil and mischievous for most of the day yesterday, which ended with her being nice and driving him home. Now she was back to her old self. "C-can't I just re-return the favor and drive _you_ somewhere?"

The second those words exited his mouth, his eyes snapped open and his hands slammed over him lips. 'What the hell did I just say?' He screamed in his head, as a curious/naughty grin crept onto Marie's face. 'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!' As Double D turned and started banging his head against his locker, Marie smiled widely.

"Hmmm…. _You_ drive _me_ somewhere?" She asked, looking up to one side and scratching the back of her neck, pretending to think about it. She knew he didn't mean to offer her a ride, but personally, she wasn't going to pass up this once in a lifetime opportunity. "Well, if you insist." Marie let out a evil giggle, just as Double D eased up on punishing himself. "I have a little money on me, and I was gonna go get something to eat at McD's…. But, I guess we can could make it a _**date**_."

'NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!' Double D was mentally screaming, but externally, he straightened himself up and cleared his throat. "Well…. If you wish for me to take you to McDonald's after school to make us even, I suppose I could possibly take you…" To be honest, this was hard for him to say. He _**was**_ practically taking her on a date, if it wasn't for him not wanting to kiss her. And knowing Marie, she would get her kiss one way or another…. So, choosing the lesser of two evils, Double D swallowed his pride and cave. "Meet me at me car after sc-!"

"Great, it's a date!" Before he could finish, Marie suddenly lunged forward and brought her arms around his abdomen, nearly squeezing the air straight from his lungs. Then, before he could stop her, Marie stood up on his tiptoes and planted a kiss right next to his mouth. "See you after school, _boyfriend_…" Then, releasing Double D from her hold, Marie turned and ran off towards the gym.

There, breathing heavily, with a large red lipstick smudge next to his lips and once again smelling like lilacs, Double D groaned in misery. 'What have I done?' He asked himself, wiping the smudge of lipstick off his face. He wanted to chase after Marie and somehow stop her from blabbing what just happened to the whole school, but he knew it wouldn't do any good. He had just proved to himself that he couldn't make Marie Kanker do anything, and that there was no reasonable way out of this. He had offered to give her a ride somewhere, and she accepted. In retrospect, even if he had thought about it, he still would've chose the ride over the kisses any day of the week.

But still…. Going out on a date with _**Marie Kanker**_? Those were things he had nightmares about. And now, because of his dreaded misfortune of not accepting Rolf's offer, he was going to has to suffer though his nightmare after school.

'…. I hate my life….'

_**Near the End of School…**_

'Please let this day end. Please let this day end. Please let this day end. Please let this day end. Please let this day end. Please let this day end. Please let this day end!' Double D had his head on his desk, as the last few minutes of school began to feel like a lifetime. He wasn't ready for what was to happen after school. He had to take _Marie Kanker _on a _DATE! _And while he didn't see it as a date, but merely a means to be even with Marie, everyone else thought otherwise.

_**FLASHBACK**_

Double D sat in his usual seat in class, with his head buried in his arms on his desk. He was in class before school had started, due to not wanting to be swarmed with questions, statement, and smart-mouthed remarks all at once…. 'Thought,' he thought, sitting up in his seat and sighing, displeased to discover he still smelled like lilacs, 'I suppose it is gonna happen either way.'

_**RING!**_

A few seconds later, Ed, Eddy, Rolf, Nazz, Kevin and Jonny all marched into the room quietly, and all took their seats…_surrounding _Double D. He looked at them, and saw they all had on different expressions. Ed looked hurt and horrified, Eddy looked kinda mad, Rolf had a smirk on his face, Nazz had a mile long grin, Kevin had a confused expression, and Jonny looked…well, lost, for some reason. Double D could tell they had just heard about his predicament with Marie, and that they all had something to say.

"Double D," Ed cried, with tears in his eyes, "please tell me it isn't so! You couldn't have did what she said you did!"

"Ed…. Th-that isn't how-!" But when Double D began to explain, Eddy interrupted by slamming his palms on his desk.

"What the hell were you thinking, you moron?" Eddy was mad. "Not only do you ask out a KANKER, but you also chose to take her where we work too? What the hell? When her sisters heard this, they decided to come with you two! You totally screwed yourself AND us, Sockhead!"

"B-but Eddy, it isn't wh-what it s-!" All of a sudden, Rolf appeared beside him, with an arm around his shoulder.

"Quiet yourself, former stubby Ed boy! This is a glorious occasion for the sock-headed one," he growled, giving a Double D a noogie and messing up his hair. He then stood up, pounded his chest in pride and smiled down at Edd. "You made the son of a shepherd proud, Double D Ed boy," he said, folding his arms across his chest. "You have not only conquered your fear of the middle Kanker girl, but you also asked her on a date, as well. Where I am from, that would call for a celebration." He then reached down, caught Double D in a one-armed side hug and laughed heartily. "After you woo the Kanker, you should come over to my home and join me in a feast!"

"Th-thank you Rolf…" Edd was being swamped, just like he imagined himself getting. "But I-!"

Double D was interrupted again, this time, by Nazz. "I knew it," she said, placing her hands on her hips and smirking, "I just knew you liked Marie. You kept saying you wished she would leave you alone, but I knew you liked the way she smothers you with love."

"W-wait, no, th-that isn't-!"

"I have to hand it to ya, Double Dork," Kevin said, cutting off Double D's explanation once again, "I pegged you as bein' too much of a spineless chicken to actually as a girl out, Marie Kanker nonetheless…. What? You into BDSM or something?"

_**END FLASHBACK**_

Double D massaged his temples when he remembered the day he had. It was like that all day. During Math, Science, Gym, Study Hall, everything. Him asking Marie on a "date" almost made him wish he had just suffered through a kiss instead. Everyone had something to say about him and Marie, may it be positive or negative. Ed and Eddy acted as if Double D had broken some sort of untold code between friends, and started to ignore him whenever he tried to talk to them. Rolf was the most happy out of everyone. Nazz acted like she wasn't surprised to hear Double D asked Marie out, claiming she knew he liked her since day one. Kevin acted…well, like Kevin and did nothing more than come up with crude insults. Jonny, oddly enough, didn't really care.

_**RING!**_

Double D let out a miserable groan as he stood up from his seat. He had been dreading school ending the whole day. After school, he was to take Marie on a "date" and drive her to the mall. Just thinking about that concept sent a shiver running down Double D's spine. He imagined how much she was going to force herself onto him, and how he also had to bring Lee and May along too. When they heard what Marie had said that morning, they were hell-bent on coming with…mainly because of jealousy and envy.

As he made his way down the halls, Double D saw Ed and Eddy walking ahead of him, talking to each other. When he saw them, Edd wanted to talk to them. But, he knew he wasn't going to get a response, seeing as they had ignored him the entire day. '…. Worst…. Day…. Ever,' he thought, not even bothering to stop at his locker. 'My friends are giving me the cold shoulder, Marie is single-handedly destroying my life, and I have to take her out on a…' He couldn't even complete that thought. Even though it was everything _BUT_ a date, it felt as if he had unwillingly been thrust into one. And, while the whole dating thing wasn't something Double D hadn't already thought about, it was the part where his "date" was _Marie __Kanker_.

As he exited the school, he turned and saw Marie, Lee and May standing by his car. When he started making his way in that direction, Marie looked up, saw him, and smiled. "Look girls," she said wickedly, getting her sisters' attention, "my _boyfriend _is here to take me on our first date." Double D found himself shivering at the very sound of her voice, as he clumsily reached for his keys in his pocket.

Lee heard this and huffed. "This doesn't count as a date, Marie. If he is only doin' this because he wants to be even with ya, this doesn't qualify as a date." Marie knew this wasn't a date in all senses, herself. She knew that he didn't want to drive her anywhere, and that this was possibly the last thing he wanted to do. But, seeing as she could be close to him, say it was a date, and possibly steal that kiss she was after, this was too much to pass up.

Double came around and unlocked his door, looking absolutely deadpan. After getting in, he sighed, turned, and unlocked the passenger door and backseat doors. When the Kankers got in ( Marie in the passenger seat, with Lee and May in the back ) Double started his care. "O-okay," he stammered nervously, "b-buckle up."

Marie looked at Double D for a second, before looking back at her sisters. "You heard my man," she said, buckling up her seatbelt, "this is his car, so we follow his rules." Lee and May shifted glances at one another before rolling their eyes. As Lee and May buckled up, Marie turned back around and sent a creepy grin at him. "Anything else, Sweetie?"

Double D shifted in his seat, feeling unsettled by her gaze. "Y-yes," he answered, clearing his throat. "N-no touching the d-driver wh-when the vehicle is m-moving, please."

After hearing the last rule, Marie narrowed her eyes at him, annoyed. "Yeah Marie," May jumped in, with a raised eyebrow and a smug grin on her face. "Remember, "_his car, his rules_," right?"

After glaring at her sister, Marie turned towards the window and started pouting. "Fine," she huffed, crossing his arms across her chest. "But when we get to the mall, I'm touchin' whatever the hell I want." Hearing her pout brought a small chuckle from her sisters as they pulled out of the parking lot.

_**At the Food Court in the Peach Creek Mall…**_

Ed and Eddy had arrived a few minutes ago, since they had to change into their new uniforms for their jobs at McDonald's. Eddy was at the front counter, already wishing his shift was over. He didn't want to be there, in a fast-food deathtrap job where he only made $7.00/hour. 'This is gay,' he thought, sniffing the air and only being able to smell grease and salt. 'Of all the places to work…McDonald's? I can't believe this was the only place that would take us!' Eddy looked over at Ed, who was sitting at one of the many empty tables, listening to his iPod.

He didn't hate McDonald's for its over fattening food. He himself loved coming to McDonald's whenever he could find the time. It's just that it wasn't the kind of job he saw himself having. He saw himself working as a mechanic, a plumber, or a car salesman. But working at a major franchise fast-food restaurant like McDonald's? That, for Eddy, was something he thought he wouldn't have to stoop to for money.

Ed, on the other hand, couldn't have cared less. It a way, Eddy envied his friend for that particular reason. Ed didn't let things get to him, nor cared what people thought of the things he did. He was happy to have a job and to be hanging around Eddy. That was all he saw when he applied, and that was what he cared about. Just that simple…. But while Eddy knew his friend was mostly _oblivious_ to everything around him nearly 95% of the time, he still found himself thinking Ed was lucky.

"Aww, doesn't my little Eddy lock handsome in that uniform or what, girls?" Eddy's ears twitched when he heard Lee's voice. As a shiver slowly made its way up his spine, Eddy turned from Ed and looked ahead. Standing in front of the small McDonald's stood Lee, Marie and May. Lee was slowly approaching the counter with her hands on her hips and her trademark grin. Marie was leading Double D ( Against his will, mind you ) to a table by the entrance. And May, surprisingly, had disappeared.

But Eddy's attention went off the missing Kanker and returned to more important matters…. Like _his _Kanker, who was standing in front of the counter. Eddy narrowed his eyes at Double D, for obvious reasons, turned his attention back to Lee, and sighed. "Welcome to McDonald's, may I take your order?" Eddy gritted his teeth as he forced those words out. His manager was watching him from the back of the kitchen, making sure he was following the rules they had just went over. He was to say those exact words for _**EVERY**_ customer who walked in.

Yet another reason he hated working at McDonald's.

When Lee heard this, she leaned on the counter and giggled. "Oh…. I like a man a uniform," she cooed, reaching out and tracing her index finger along Eddy's chin. But, like always, Eddy rolled his eyes and groaned, seeing as he was trapped. "Yeah, you can serve me," she answered, puckering her lips. "I'll take you with a side of kisses, and a large Pepsi."

"…. Sorry, but we stopped serving that a long time ago," Eddy replied, taking a single step back from the counter, mainly because he sensed Lee was planning to pounce on him. "But you are more than welcome to try our new item on the menu. Its called the McGet-The-Hell-Out burger. Order the meal and you get a large fry and a drink. Unfortunately, we're out of trays, so your order will have to be _to-go_."

As Lee and Eddy got into another one of their normal little spats, Marie sat next to Double D, who she cleverly had pinned inside the seat. ( You know what I'm talking about, right? Those booths at McD's where one sits right next to the wall? Yeah, that. ) In all honesty, she wasn't planning on going to the mall after school that day. She just wanted to have the satisfaction of saying she went somewhere with Double D…. Be it forced or otherwise.

This whole time, Ed was blissfully unaware of the whole situation around him. He was lost in his music, humming the song and drumming his fingers on the table. And, unfortunately, he was too interested in his music to even notice that the Kankers were there…or to notice that May was right behind him, smiling devilishly. "Hello, Pookibear!" May grabbed Ed from behind and caught him in a crushing hug, knocking his earphones out his ears. "I'll take a super-sized you, to-go!"

Now, knowing who was holding him and who was around him, Ed cried out in fear. "AH! KANKERS BAD FOR ED! EDDY, HELP ME!"

_**One Talk From Manager Later…**_

Before long, the manager came out and broke up the whole "Kanker" situation. He made it clear to both the Kanker sisters and the Eds that he wasn't going to stand for this type of behavior in his restaurant. He told the Kankers to behave or leave, and scolded Ed and Eddy, saying this was their first warning. When both the Kankers and Eds agreed, he went back into the kitchen.

"What an asshole," Lee mumbled, crossing her arms across her chest. "It's not like we were disturbing anyone or anything."

Eddy, still behind the counter glared at her. "Shut it, _Kanker_," he growled, "because of you and your sisters, me and Ed got our asses chewed out on the first day. It's bad enough to suffer though you three at school, but leave us alone at work."

Lee stuck her tongue out at Eddy, playfully. To Eddy, this pissed him off even more. She never ever took anything seriously, no matter what the subject is…. Well, unless it was their ship in a bottle, that is. But no matter how vile or offensive he asked or talked to Lee, she merely shrugged it off and continued being a nuisance towards him.

Ed was also behind the counter, huddled behind Eddy in fear. He looked around Eddy and saw May, standing behind Lee with an innocent smiled. Ed's reasons for hating May was simpler. He thought she was creepy, and wouldn't let go about what happened throughout his childhood when she was around. Even though she was putting on a sweet and innocent demeanor whenever she was around him **_now_**, he wasn't dumb enough to buy it. He knew May well enough to know she was still as conniving as ever.

Double D was still trapped in the booth with Marie, freaking out mentally. 'OhmyGod! OhmyGod! OhmyGod! OhmyGod! OhmyGod! OhmyGod! OhmyGod! OhmyGod! OhmyGod! OhmyGod! OhmyGod! OhmyGod!' He wasn't so much freaking out because he was pinned into a seat by Marie. It was that she was just leaning against him, with her head on his shoulder…. And doing nothing else. She wasn't trying to kiss him, hugging him, calling him cute nicknames, nothing. She was just laying there, with her face snuggled against his shoulder.

She wasn't acting like her usual self, and that was what was making Double D nervous. He grew up fearing her because he thought he knew what she was all about. She liked chasing him, catching him, smothering him in forced kisses, teasing him, and everything he had grown to hate about her. But whenever she would change up her demeanor, he would always be on edge, mainly because he knew that was followed by her changing back to her true self.

It was _**when **_her true self came back out that had him on edge.

But as his thoughts continued on and on about Marie, his nostrils caught wind of her lilac perfume, bringing him back into reality. '…. Is lilac the only perfume she wears?' He took another whiff, oddly finding that he was getting used to it. Double D looked down at Marie and discovered that she, believe it or not, had fell asleep on his shoulder.

But he was actually more interested in her face than what she was actually doing. Double D stared at her, examining her facial expression. She looked very different when she was asleep. She didn't have a evil or mischievous smile on her face, which was a first for Double D, except from the night before. That night, she looked worried and a little annoyed, but by the end of the ride, she was back to sending him suggestive looks. But now? She looked at peace, calm, and…. _Cute_….

Double D's eyes snapped open, his face erupted into a crimson blush and his heart steadily started picking up in pace. 'Wait-! WHAT?'

_**To Be Continued….**_

Oh snap! That just happened! Hahahaha! Well, I hope you all liked the update. I sure enjoyed it, that's all I can tell ya! It looks like things are _**RAPIDLY **_starting to get interesting between the Eds and Kankers. Eddy finds Lee annoying. Ed finds May scary. And Double D? Well, as you can tell by the chapter, he isn't sure what to think about the crafty Kanker sister anymore! But like I said before, this _ISN'T_ where the romance starts. This is still just building up to the big moment. He is still terrified of her and her mischievous ways. He's just now starting to show signs of falling victim of his dreaded _teenage hormones! *Dramatic Music* So, please leave plenty of reviews. It will be a short while before I update. I have a couple more stories I have to touch base on. But until then, enjoy this chapter as much as possible! Hope to hear from y'all soon. PEACE!_


	5. When Snow Meets Steam

Pairing: Edd/Marie, and more as the story continues.

Rating: T

Author's Notes: Hello again, all my loyal readers. It is I, Mr. Alaska, writer of stories and teller of tales. I am back with another update to the best Ed, Edd n' Eddy story to ever grace FanFiction. I hoped you liked the last chapter, because this next one will surely take the cake. When we last left off, Double D had unintentionally asked Marie out. But while he refused to see it as more than getting even, Marie insists it's a date. Then, throughout the whole day, Edd was harassed by practically every cul-de-sac teen in school. And, to make matters worse, both Lee and May had decided to "tag along" with Double D and Marie. When they get there, it was exactly how Edd pictured it. Lee was annoying Eddy, May was smothering Ed, and Marie was…. Sleeping on his shoulder? And, while that was odd all in of itself, when Double D looked at her sleeping face, the words, "she looks cute," ran through his mind. So now, we get to witness the aftermath of the interesting occasion. And not only that, we get to check out how Double D is handling the whole situation between him and Marie. Hope you all enjoy.

_**WARNING! INSANE MAKE-OUT SCENES LIE AHEAD!**_

Also, there's a story I'd like to put out there. It's am Edd/Marie story called Let Go, by SiriusAllPunked. It is about Marie, a suicidal party girl from California, being sent to live with her mother and sisters in Peach Creak. It is, in all honesty, pretty different from most E,E, n' E stories, but I thought I'd put it out there, since she isn't getting that many reviews. And, if you do check it out and review, tell her Mr. Alaska sent ya. :D

Chapter 5: When Snow Meets Steam

'…. Why is this happening to me? Why does it have to be her?' Double D thought as he laid awake in his bed, unable to sleep. Even though he desperately wanted sleep, his mind was too fixated on what had happened that afternoon that day. He had taken Marie and her sisters to the Peach Creak Mall, as part of an unofficial date. And, just as he predicted, it had ended just as his pictured it would.

Well, _almost_ as he pictured it, anyway….

_**FLASHBACK**_

It was 6:30PM, and Double D was driving the Kanker sisters home from the mall. Ed and Eddy had gotten off work at 6 and headed back home, wanting to get as far away from the Kankers _AND_ Double D as possible…. But, truthfully, Edd didn't blame them. He had offered a ride to Marie, which resulted in her sisters wanting to come. And, of all the places Marie chose to go, she wanted to go to the McDonald's at the Peach Creak Mall, where both Ed and Eddy worked. For almost four straight hours, Lee and May tormented poor Ed and Eddy. They had a right to be mad at Double D.

Although, while that was in his mind, there was an entirely different matter that was bothering him to no end. He looked into his rearview mirror, and looked at the three sleeping sisters in the back seat. Lee was snoring loudly, with her head resting against the window. Marie was in the middle, with her knees curled to her chest. And May was just laying there, snoring just as loud as Lee.

He looked at Marie briefly while he drove, nearing the Park n' Flush trailer park. During the entire "date" Marie had been acting uncharacteristically. He expected her to be all over him, just like her sisters were with Ed and Eddy. He expected her to smother him with kisses, hug him mercilessly, kiss him some more, and repeat. From years of experience, he figured that since this was a "date" to her, she would've did all of that times 10. But, going against her normal tomboyish ways and five years of practicing her tormenting techniques, all she did was snuggle up to him and rest on his shoulder.

As he remembered how it felt when she laid up next to him, and taking in that familiar scent of lilac perfume, his face started to warm up and his heart slowly started to increase in speed. 'What is happening?' Double D thought, shaking his head violently as he entered the messy trailer park. He looked back at Marie, and saw her and her sisters stir as he came to a stop. She let out a soft yawn, and Double D found himself staring at her for a little too long. 'Why is my body acting like this? The only times I felt like this was when I was around Nazz, and that was years ago…. Why am I acting like this over _**Marie Kanker**_, the girl who tormented me for five straight years, and who is now destroying my friendship with Ed and Eddy?'

As the three Kanker sisters yawned and rubbed their eyes, Double D cleared his throat. "U-umm…. We-we're here, ladies," he stammered nervously, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his tie. "I… Umm…. I hope y-you all en-enjoyed your evening. But we're at y-your home now, a-and I have t-to be returning home soon."

Lee and May let out a tired/grumpy grunt and got out. They didn't have as much fun as they had hoped to have. Because of the dinner rush, they didn't have as much time to torture their "boyfriends." But as Double D was about to put his car in drive, there was a tap at his window. He turned, and there stood Marie, with a soft smile on her face. No, not her normal evil/mischievous smirk she had on nearly all the time. This was a genuine smile, which struck Edd as odd.

Going against his better judgment, and knowing it would've been rude if he didn't, Double D lowered his window. "D-did you forget s-something, Marie?" He asked, as he put his car in park again.

Marie looked at him with half-lit eyes, and giggled. "Yeah, I forgot to say thanks for the trip." Now Double D was confused. Marie Kanker, who was known as one of the more brutish Kanker sisters, had just _thanked_ him. "I know this wasn't the ideal first date you expected on having, and I thought it was sweet of you to stick around for as long as you did." He examined her voice. This wasn't the same voice she always spoke with, either. This was a little softer, and for once, didn't have the hint of mischief like her normal voice.

It was as if he was talking to a completely different Marie, which threw Double D off a little. He didn't know how to respond to her kind words. It was so alien to him, talking to Marie without actually fearing her. "W-well, to b-be perfectly honest," he countered, "I d-didn't think it w-was all that bad." Marie's one visible eyebrow went up, wanting him to elaborate. "I-I mean…. Umm…. I-I th-thought it w-was going to b-be worse than what it t-turned out t-to be." His heart was beating a mile a minute, and his entire body was shaking as if he was inside a freezer, naked. He didn't know why he was telling her this, even though it was true.

Marie looked at him for a second, surprised to hear what he had just said. At first, she thought this was another attempt at reverse psychology. But in the back of her mind, she figured it wasn't. Double D was a genius, and she knew it. She knew he wouldn't try to get rid of her with a failed tactic he already used.

Then, much to Double D horror, Marie's mischievous smirk returned to her face. "Oh really?" She asked, sticking her head through his open window. Double D's eyes went wide as her face came within inches of his. "Well, if that's the case," she cooed, reaching in and bringing one hand behind Double D's neck, "then maybe we should do this again real soon."

Ed looked at Marie, eyes as big as dinner plates and sweat almost pouring down his face. "U-umm…. O-oh…. I-I mean…. Oh…." This was a first in Double D's life. As articulate and intelligent as he was, he found himself being lost for words. In his mind, he would've gone and flat out deny the request. But for some reason, his brain could even come up with a response at all….

Not that he could if he wanted to, since Marie then closed the distance between them and placed a firm kiss on his lips. No. Not a kiss on the cheek, or a kiss really close to his mouth, but on his lips.

When their lips met, Double D's body stopped shaking and went stiff. He had been kissed by Marie many times before, which usually came in the form of a barrage of scattered kisses. But when their lips met in this kiss, a warm sensation ravaged Double D's being, causing his body to relax. '….' His mind went blank. It was as if it had shutdown, due to an overflow of thoughts and new emotions. Marie pulled Edd closer into the kiss and found that even thought the boy was completely conscious, he wasn't pulling away, or showing any other form of resisting her.

This continued on for a full minute before Marie finally broke the lip contact between her and Double D. She looked at him, and saw that his eyes were closed. No, not squinted shut, but as if he was _enjoying_ it. Letting out another giggle, Marie pulled her head out of his car. "I was wrong…. It felt better than when we were younger." She pulled her head out of the car and buried her hands in her coat pockets. "I'll see you tomorrow, Double D." And with that, the blue-haired Kanker turned and clumsily stumbled to her trailer, leaving behind a severely confused and shocked Eddward.

_**END FLASHBACK**_

Double D felt sick.

His stomach was unsettled, his face was burning up and his heart was beating. But even though he felt as if he had fallen to some unknown illness, he knew fully well he hadn't caught anything. He remembered feeling this way before. He would always get like this when he was near or talking to Nazz. He had a crush on her growing up, but he also knew she had hidden feelings for Kevin. So, he knew what if felt like when someone were infatuated with another.

But when he realized that he was acting this way towards Marie Kanker, it felt as if he had lost a five-year long battle to an enemy. 'This can't be happening,' he thought, slowly sitting up in his bed. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and transferred it to his blanket. 'I have hated her ever since we've met. She and her sisters have been torturing and tormenting me, my friends and the entire cul-de-sac for five years. How is it possible that I could have developed feeling for her?'

But despite all of the harsh and unforgiving words in his head, he couldn't help but reach up and gently touch his lips, remembering how the kiss felt. It was nothing like any of the kisses he had before. The others were scattered, clumsily placed, and had no meaning whatsoever. But the one he experienced that night was different.

For once in his life, he actually _**welcomed**_ the lip-on-lip contact from Marie, and didn't put up a struggle in the slightest. It was as if he gave into a hidden urge when he felt her lips on his and smelled her lilac perfume. It was as if, at that moment of contact, his brain shut off and left his whole body to the Kanker's mercy. But he was conscious, fully knowing what was happening, and didn't do anything. He couldn't explain what had happened. And it frustrated him for a whole half an hour, before a reasonable explanation final struck him.

He slap his forehead and let out an astonished chuckle. "Of course. It's so simple," he chuckled, sitting back down in his bed. "This is nothing more than my teenage hormones acting up. I'm not infatuated with Marie in the slightest sense of the word. This is just my body's natural desire for the opposite sex." With that as a possible answer to his dilemma, Double D felt as if a heavy weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. "That explains everything. My feelings for Marie hasn't changed at all." Double D was happy. He laid back down in his bed and looked at his clock. It was 9:54PM.

He let out a comfortable sigh as he placed his hat on the nightstand next to his bed. "Thought, I can only imagine Marie will be all over me tomorrow," he mumbled to himself, pulling his blanket over him. "But I suppose I will burn that bridge when I come to it." Now with a settled mind, Double D let out a loud yawn and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Unbeknownst to him, however, things would be _**FAR**_ from what he expects them to be the next day.

_**The Next Morning…**_

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEE…! SLAM! _Double D slammed his palm on his alarm clock, feeling more exhausted than he should. He rubbed his eyes, getting rid of all the solid buildup in them. He felt as if he had been sleep deprived, even though he hadn't woke up then entire night prior. Double D let out a long, drawn-out yawn, before getting onto his feet. 'Hmm…. That's peculiar,' he thought, as he started going through his closet, 'I'm never this tired in the mornings…. I slept quite well, actually. Yet I feel like I barely slept at all.' He grabbed his clothes and made his way to the bathroom. 'A shower should remedy that,' he thought, walking in and closing the door behind him.

_Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! _"Oh Eddward dear! Me and your father are heading out." As if on clockwork, Double D heard his mother knocking on the bathroom door, right as he was about to turn on the hot water. "Be careful driving this morning, Sweetie," she continued. "It snowed last night, and the roads are a little icy."

'Hmmm…. It finally snowed, huh?' He thought, as he took a deep breath. "Okay mom! Thanks for the heads-up," he called out, as he turned on the hot water.

_**Five Minutes Later…**_

'Aw…. Much better,' Double D thought as he walked down the stairs, fully clothes and combing his hair. As he combed his still damp hair, he made his way into the kitchen. Not surprisingly, neither Ed nor Eddy were waiting for him. 'Guess they must still be mad at more for yesterday,' he thought, as he grabbed an apple from the bowl in the center of the table. 'Maybe I should explain what really happened. Maybe they'll stop giving me silent treatment after that.' After finishing his apply, he threw the core away and looked at the clock. It was still only 6:40AM. He then looked out his window and saw how much it had actually snowed. Surprisingly, there was a good two to three inches of fresh snow on the ground. He looked to the road and saw that the plow trucks haven't made their rounds yet, because the road was covered by a blanket of snow. Luckily, cars were already out, therefore inadvertently plowing him a path.

Putting his heavy jacket on and grabbing his backpack, Double D made his way to the door. He knew he was leaving much earlier than usual. But, seeing as the roads were less than desirable, he figured he should get a head start. He walked outside, unlocked his car, and pulled out the sweeper for his car. After wiping off all the snow and scraping all the ice from his car, he got in and started his engine.

As he turned on his heater and waited for his car to warm up, he took this time to think. He figured he'd have to deal with all the kids again, just like he had to yesterday. He could imagine it already. Rolf congratulating him, Nazz giving him smug looks, Ed and Edd completely ignoring him, Sarah being heartbroken ( Due to a longtime crush on him ) and Kevin's rude and vulgar comments.

He knew he was going to hate it, but knew it was unavoidable.

A few minutes had passed, and his car was nice and warm. He looked behind him, making sure there weren't any cars behind him. When it was clear, he backed up into the round-about and slowly made his way down the street. He listened, and heard the sound of snow crunching underneath his tires. He was going close to 30mph, primarily due to the fact he still didn't have snow tires on his car, making the chances of an accident were a little higher.

A few minutes later, a little less than halfway to the school, Double D looked ahead and saw a red pickup truck halfway in the ditch, with it's hazard lights on. As he slowed down and got closer, he soon realized it was Marie's pickup. 'Oh dear,' he thought, already knowing he was going to have to get out and help her, 'she must have spun out.' Pulling over in front of her, Double D put his car in park and got out. Marie was in the front seat, trying to get her truck out of the ditch. But the snow was somehow packed, and made it nearly impossible to merely back out. But, when she looked up and saw Double D of all people had stopped to help her, a bright smile came across her face.

When Double D came to her window, she rolled it down. "My, my, my," she began, using a suggestive tone, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say fate has something planned for us. Because here I was, a damsel in distress, and my knight in shining armor has come to rescue me."

Ignoring the fact his cheeks were heating up and believing it was due to the cold, Double D cleared his throat. "It appears you are in need of assistance, Marie…. May I inquire as to how you got into this little predicament?" Marie was surprised to hear Double D talk to her and not stutter for once.

With a suspicious raised eyebrow, she faked a smile and shrugged. "What can I say?" She asked. "I was drivin' along, and some guy just stops right in front of me for no reason. So I slammed on my brakes. But when I did that, I started swerving back and forth and ended up in the ditch." Then she frowned. "And that prick didn't even bother to stop and help me out. I mean, he saw me go into the ditch. But he just kept on going, not caring if I was okay or not."

Double D looked at Marie and noticed she was trembling. He also noticed it was abnormally cold inside the truck. "Is your heater broken?"

Marie sighed and nodded her head. "Yeah," she answered. "I was gonna go get it fixed, but I kept putting it off…. Kinda serves me right, huh?" Seeing as it was obvious she wasn't going anywhere, Marie shut her truck off.

After inspecting her truck, Double D sighed. 'It's too into the ditch for her to back out,' he deduced, massaging the bridge of his nose. 'And seeing as her heater isn't working, she'd probably catch a cold if she stays here for help to arrive.'

Knowing what he had to do, he looked at Marie. "Come on, you can ride in with me." Marie looked at him with a wide smile. He hated himself for being so damn giving. But, his mother had drilled him at a young age that he should do the right thing whenever given the opportunity…. Even if he didn't want to. "One on condition, though," he specified, as Marie grabbed her backpack. She looked at him, curiously. "You aren't allowed to go around and blab about what…" He blushed when he remembered what had actually happened last night, but continued. "Just keep last night between us, alright?"

Knowing why he didn't want it getting out, she rolled her eyes and nodded. "Sure, whatever you say," she said, stepping out of her truck and locking it behind her. Snow was starting to fall again, and that meant that the roads were going to get worse. So Double D and Marie made their way to the car and got in.

When they closed the does, Marie tossed her backpack in the back seat and let out a pleasant sigh, happy to be warm again. "Oh God this feels nice," she moaned, slumping back into her seat. "You're a lifesaver Double D, ya know that?" Edd found himself getting frustrated by the fact that, even though he wasn't in the cold, his cheeks started heating up from the girl's kind words. "You're too good to me."

"Umm…. Y-you're q-quite welcome, M-Marie." Double D bit his bottom lip, annoyed that he was stuttering again. "I…. Umm…. It w-wouldn't have been right if I h-had just l-left you stranded out h-here…in th-this weather, a-and all."

Marie giggled before reaching out and giving Double D a tight hug. "Thanks a bunch, Sweetie. I owe you one."

'…. Okay, remain calm Eddward,' Double D thought, as Marie continued to hug him. 'Remember, it's just your hormones acting up. Don't let them get the better of you. You are in control, not your primal instincts.' But while he was mentally coaching himself, Double D caught a whiff of Marie's perfume. It was different. Instead of lilacs, Marie now had the scent of roses radiating off her. And in discovering that the smell was a pleasant change, he smiled and sorta drifted into a state of relaxation. 'OH GOOD LORD! CONTROL YOURSELF, MAN!' With his mind bringing him out of his trance-like , Double D broke the hug abruptly and put his hands on the steering wheel.

"O-oh! Th-that's quite alright, M-Marie," he reassured, putting his car into drive. "I-I'm just doing th-the right thing. Y-you don't owe me anything."

While she was a little disappointed that the hug was ended so suddenly, she could tell how nervous he was…. And not "scared" nervous, either. He was blushing, sweating, and trembling. But that wasn't new. What was new was the fact he didn't break the hug and struggle to get out of it as soon as she thought he would. '…. Is he finally falling for me?'

Keeping a innocent expression, she giggled and sat back in her seat. "Have I ever told you you're cute when your nervous?"

Double D sighed and pulled onto the road. "Yes Marie," he answered dryly, "many times, in fact."

_**15 Minutes Later…**_

Finally, the two made it to school. It took longer than usual because traffic was so slow, due to the roads being so hazardous. But Marie didn't mind. That just meant she got to be near her "boyfriend" a lot longer. As they pulled into the parking lot, Marie turned to Double D with a smile plastered on her face. "Thanks for the lift, Double D," she said, as they backed into a parking space. "I'll make it up to you."

As Double D parked his car, he smiled. "That's quite alright, Marie. Your thanks is reward enough." To Edd's disbelief, he was actually feeling a little more comfortable around Marie. Sure, he was still nervous about her forcing herself on him. But as of late, that seemed to be a past habit. Now, she was acting more casual towards him, making him feel a little bit more at ease.

"No, it isn't." Double D's eyes snapped open when he heard Marie's voice. She was using a breathless, almost seductive voice. He looked at her and saw Marie had a small smile on her face, and was fluttering her visible eye. She unbuckled herself, and, in a feet of incredible speed and precision, had switcher from her seat onto his, straddling his hips.

'Oh dear Lord! No! Not again!' His eyes were almost bugging out his head, and his heart was pounding in his chest like a piston. His whole body was trembling as if her was about to have a seizure, and, like last night, he was unable to move his body. 'Move, damn you! Move!' But it was no use. When that failed, he tried talking.

"N-now Marie," he began, trying his best to keep a calm voice, "I-I'm not a-all t-t-too…. O-oh…. I-I mean I d-don't th-think…" It was happening again. Double D was once again struggling to come up with a smooth flowing sentence, but found it even more impossible than the night before.

"Double D," Marie whispered, not more than a centimeter from his face. "Just shut up and accept my thanks." Then, in a split second afterward, she closed the gap between them and connected her lips with his.

When their lips met for the second time, Double D's body instantaneously relaxed, and somewhat melted into his seat. '…. No…. This can't be happening…. She's kissing me, and I'm enjoying it.' Double D, prior to this, had believed that his hormones were to blame for him not being able to stop last night's kiss. And he still believed that was the case. But now, seeing that no matter how hard he tried, there was no way out of this. '…. My own body…betraying me!'

Marie, on the other hand, was in a world of bliss. She wrapped her arms around Double D's neck, pulling him closer into the passionate kiss. He didn't resister. She glanced down and saw that his arms were lazily handing down his sides. She moaned into the kiss, which, in turn, caused Double D to do the same. Marie then reached down, grabbed the lever on the side of his seat, and pulled up, causing the seat to recline all the way back.

'This isn't happening! This isn't happening! This isn't happening! This isn't happening! This isn't happening! This isn't happening! This isn't happening! This isn't happening! This isn't happening! This isn't happening! This isn't happening! This isn't happening!' But no matter how many times he screamed that in his head, it didn't change the reality of the subject. Marie was kissing him on the lips, and he was powerless to do anything about it.

"OH! MY! GOD!" At the sound of Nazz's voice, Double D's and Marie's eyes snapped open. Startled, and finally having control over his body, both Edd and Marie turned to see Nazz, along with Ed, Eddy, Rolf, Kevin, Jonny, Sarah and Jimmy, all standing outside his car.

'…. I really, really, _**REALLY**_ hate my life!'

_**To Be Continued…**_

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *Gasps for Air* HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That was freakin' epic! I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed writing this chapter. At first, I thought it was going to be too much. But then, I thought that it would be PERFECT! And do you all want to know the best part? THIS ISN'T EVEN THE BEST PART! Now we get to see how all of this plays out. Double D, while amazing as it seems, is still against the idea of being with Marie, even thought his own BODY wants it. The ending was the best part for me. I could only imagine how that would've looked if you'd had just got there! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Anyways, this really isn't even the part to get excited about. The strong, meaningful revelation is still to come in future chapters. So stay tuned! Please leave plenty of reviews! Hope to hear from y'all soon. PEACE! :D


	6. Some Alone Time

Pairing: Edd/Marie, and more as the story continues.

Author's Notes: Well, what can I say? I am so very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, VERY sorry for the LOOOOONG ass wait. Seriously, how long has it been? Like, two years? I know what you all are thinking. You all are like_, "What the hell, man? You FINALLY update after two freaking years? What the hell kept you? We all thought you were DEAD! You better have a damn good excuse for you absence, fool!" _Well, basically, LIFE happened. I ran out of inspiration at first. Then, when I finally had inspiration, my computer broke on me. THEN when I got a new one, I got a full-time job. So, my time was taken up. And THAT'S why I haven't updated in so long. BUT I AM BACK, FOLKS! AND READY TO BRING YOU MORE EDD/MARIE MADNESS! HOLD ONTO YOUR SEAT, BECAUSE THE HIATUS IS OFFICIALLY OFF, AND I'MMA GONNA BUST LOOSE!

_**Quick Side Note: Edd and Marie weren't Frenching in the last chapter. It was strictly lip-to-lip. No tongue... Not yet, anyway. Just thought I should make that clear. Also, not much happens in this chapter, as far as Edd/Marie wise. This is one of those serious chapters, where things are being figured out. But I'll try and make the next chapter good for all you! XD**_

Chapter 6: Some Alone Time

Like the previous night, Double D felt ill. There he was at his usual lunch table, alone, staring at his untouched lunch. He didn't feel like eating and, surprisingly, he didn't feel like being at school that day. He just wanted the day to end, go home, bury his face into his pillow, and just scream until his throat went sore. He wanted this whole day to be but a dream, where as he would wake up from it, to see that nothing really happened.

But it was not to be. Everything was, to his dismay, really happening.

_**FLASHBACK**_

'…..' Double D couldn't speak. He couldn't even think, by this point. There he was, in his car, with _Marie Kanker _straddling his lap, having just received a second lip-to-lip kiss from the blue-haired girl. What could have made the situation worse, you may ask?

Having the ENTIRE cul-de-sac witnessing it through his car's slightly fogged up windows, that's what.

Ed looked horrified, covering his eyes as if watching a terror flick. Eddy had a expression that was a cross between disgust, anger, and confusion. Rolf looked absolutely elated, as he crossed his arms across his chest and nodded, approvingly. Nazz's giggling was audible from inside his car, and even through his foggy windows, he could see that she was blushing. Kevin and Jonny were laughing and whistling hysterically. And Sarah looked absolutely heartbroken, with Jimmy beside her, as if to console her.

Double D's body began to tremble, having registered that everyone saw what had just transpired between him and Marie. His face dawned a deeper shade of red when he turned from the windows to face Marie... Who's face was still mere inches from his, with a light blush and a sly grin. Double D tried to speak. "Ah... Umm...M-Marie, I... Umm..." But, like before, his vocal skills seemed to have disappeared when he realized the situation he was in. So, he tried again, with only a little more success. "M-Marie," he muttered, "m-my, ummm, lap... Ahhh... P-please, o-off... Thank you..." Mentally, he smacked himself for sounding like a moron.

But to his relief, Marie smiled. "Okay, I guess you've had enough for now," she said, sounding quite pleased with herself. She then reached down and grabbed the lever to the seat. After pulling it, the seat adjusted back into its up-right position. Double D was still unable to move his body, so, Marie was the first to exit the car. She open the door, stepped out, and cleared her throat. "See you at lunch, _Dreamboat. _Don't forget about my chocolate bar," she sang, before turning, walking pass the others, and entering the school.

_**END FLASHBACK**_

Edd groaned in misery, folding his arms on the table and resting his head on them. The rest of the day was as he predicted it would be. After finally managing to get himself out of his car, he was immediately bombarded with questions, rude comments and jokes, cries for an explanation, and so on.

Ed and Eddy were, for some reason, giving him the cold shoulder treatment. Ever since school started, they were actively avoiding him. Yup. No eye contact, no vocal responses to his questions, and they made an effort to sit as _FAR _away from him whenever possible. Double D tried to explain what had happened in the car, but neither Ed nor Eddy wanted to listen. And for the life of him, Double D couldn't figure out what to do. He wanted to know why Ed and Eddy were constantly distancing themselves from him, but he couldn't get any kind of response from them.

'Why is all of this happening to me?' Double D thought, finally deciding to eat. As he opened his container to get to his tuna sandwich, he took a second to look around. In the far end of the room sat Ed and Eddy, both with sore expressions, and sending grumpy scowls at him. A few tables in front of him sat Rolf, Kevin and Jonny, who were laughing about something. Double D wagered it had something to do with his predicament with Marie. Though, it seemed it was only Kevin and Jonny who were laughing, while Rolf merely listened.

After taking a bite of his sandwich, Double D suddenly realized something. He hadn't seen Marie or her sisters around. And when he thought about it, he found it strange that Marie was the only one in her truck that morning. 'Lee and May must be skipping again,' he concluded, taking a sip from his soda. But when he came up with that answer, another question aroused.

Why wasn't _Marie _skipping? That thought caused Edd to stop eating. It was a first for all but one Kanker sister to skip school. In fact, he started to realize that for the last three times the Kankers skipped school, Marie wasn't one of them. Marie attended school that last few times Lee and May decided to skip. But that thought brought up yet another one.

_Marie Kanker..._

The name alone was enough to send shivers up Double D's spine. Out of the three sisters, Marie was the most conning and conniving. She always had a mischievous looks to her. Always scheming, always waiting, always anticipating everything, so when time came, he would be right where she wanted him. It was like that ever since the Kankers moved to Peach Creak. But he was used to it. After all these years of the same routine, it almost became second nature to him. But that was when they were children.

Now? They were maturing adults, in their Senior year of high school. Everything was different now.

As he traced his finger along the top of his soda, he reflected on all the torture Marie had put him through. All of those years of running from her, of her and her sisters ruining their scams, of all the unwanted kisses forced onto them. It was to the point that Double D was afraid to leave his own house. He was always thinking Marie was there, waiting to pounce. But even with all the unpleasant memories, he could not deny what was happening now.

He found himself _growing fond _of Marie Kanker.

It was hard for Double D to swallow that piece of information. The very idea made his skin crawl. But no matter how he sliced it, it all came out the same. Those last two days were proof of that. He told himself that it was just his body reacting to hormones. That, he could understand. He was a teenage boy. It was natural for his body to react that way. If it hadn't, the human race would've died out thousands of years ago. But what he couldn't handle was the fact that, when Marie kissed him for the second time, he had absolutely NO control over himself. When she kissed him, all he was able to do was lay back and let her have her way... He was powerless.

'Infatuated with Marie Kanker... Marvelous,' he thought miserably, taking another bite from his sandwich.

"Wow... Like, someones in deep thought about something," came an unexpected voice. Edd nearly gagged on his sandwich at the sudden statement, and turned around. It his surprise, it was Nazz. She was in her cheerleader uniform. So, Double D figured she just finished a last minute practice session or something. He watched her take a seat next to him, and saw that she was wearing a long smile. "Mind if I sit here?"

Edd let out a tired sigh. "I don't see why not," he replied, sounding less then excited. "As you can see, my friends are too busy ignoring me to sit there." He then points to across the room where Ed and Eddy were sitting. "Sorry if I'm not my usual self... Today has been... Well, less then desirable." He then goes back to eating his lunch.

Nazz looked across the room to Ed and Edd, then looked back to Double D. "Yeah, what's with those two?" She asked, giving him a raised eyebrow. "I mean, I've never seen them totally avoid you like this before. Are they mad at you about earlier today?"

Edd hunched his shoulders. "I guess so," he answered dryly.

Nazz looked at him with a concerned look. "Dude... Are _YOU _okay?" This question caused Double D to pause from his lunch for a second. But, he continued afterwords, not answering her question. At this, Nazz shook her head. "C'mon, Double D, you can talk to me," she assured. "It's one thing to see those two act the way they are. But you're supposed to be the level-headed one. You never got depressed like this when they act up. So why now?"

Double looked over to Nazz, and saw that she was sincerely concerned about his situation with his friends. And, seeing as moping about it wasn't helping him, he sighed.

"Today was the second time Marie kissed me on the lips," he began, getting a surprised look from Nazz. He saw that she was determined to help him out with this, so, the least he could do was not spare her any details about his dilemma. "Last night, after our "date" I drove her and her sisters home. After Lee and May went into their trailer, Marie stayed behind to thank me for putting up with them. After I assured her that it wasn't as bad as I was expecting, she kissed me, much like how you all witnessed this morning."

He paused to take another drink of his soda. He glanced at Nazz, and saw that she was blushing, but also trying her best to hold back girlish giggles. But, Double D could handle Nazz's laughter. It was Kevin's rude comments that got to him.

"And then what happened?" Nazz asked, excited to hear more.

"When that happened," he continued, "I was shocked to realized that I _enjoyed_ it." He hated that he had to be so damn honest about this. Nazz looked as if she was about to squeal with delight at this discovery. But, to his relief, she kept herself in check. So, he sighed and continued. "But later that night, while in bed, I convinced myself it was just hormones. I convinced myself that it was because of them that I didn't react like I used to. So, I figured if I could keep them under control, I would be better prepared fo-!"

"Wait! Hold on there for a second," Nazz interrupted, sounding startled. "Why was Marie in your car this morning, anyway? Doesn't she drive a red truck?"

Double D blushed at her sudden question, but cleared his throat. "Yes, well, if you'd kindly let me finish, I'll gladly explain." To this, Nazz happily quieted down and listened. "Well, you see," he continued, "while I was driving this morning, I noticed a red truck was in the ditch. So, naturally, I stopped to see if I could help. And, surprise surprise, it was Marie. Turns out the actions of a careless driver is what caused her to go into the ditch. And, when I discovered that her heater wasn't working, well, I couldn't just leave her there. So..."

"So you gave her a ride, and she _"thanked"_ you with a kiss, right?" Nazz concluded, sounding quite happy with herself.

"Precisely," Edd confirmed, finishing the last of his sandwich. After that, Double D didn't know how to continue. So, there was a few seconds of awkward silence between the two before Nazz broke it.

"Sooooooooo?" She asked, expecting him to continue.

"Sooooooooo what?"

"How do you feel about it? The "Marie" thing... Not the "your friends avoiding you" thing? Do you think you have a thing for Marie, after all these years of her chasing you? Are you going to ask her out? Because if you are, I know a..."

As Nazz went on and on, Double D couldn't help but laugh. It was times like these where Nazz showed that unlike the Kankers and even Sarah, she was 100% girl. Here he was, explaining a serious dilemma that is somehow effecting his friendship with Ed and Eddy, and all she cares about is the romantic stuff... Well, she _does_ care about his friendship being threatened, but again...

Nazz was purely girl.

But, that was a good question. What _did _he think about this whole thing with Marie? "Honestly Nazz?" He asked, getting an excited nod. "I honestly don't know," he answered, a little quietly. "At some point... I think I'm going to have to talk with her about this... I mean..." He was having trouble putting this into words. But, nevertheless, he tried. "I mean, up until recently, my opinion on Marie was never a positive one... I'm still wondering on how to deal with Ed and Eddy. But they won't give me the time of day to talk to them. And with this whole Marie situation... I... I just don't know what to think. Too much is happening too fast."

Nazz now realized how much Double D was dealing with. He was trying to make sense out of everything, while trying to keep his friendship intact.

"Well, if you ask me," Nazz said, standing up, "I think you should go talk with Marie. I think those two idiots are just trying to make sense of this too... In a stupid and immature way, but still..." She saw that Double D was still unsure about something. "And by the way," she continued, "I'll keep this on a need-to-know basis. And, if you ever need to talk, come find me, or even Rolf."

Edd gave her a odd look when he heard that. Nazz giggled. "Yeah, Rolf won't stop going on about how proud he is of you. He's like_, "Head-in-sock Ed boy is on his way to becoming a man. He is doing the son of a shepard proud. I remember when me and Anja first met in the old country. I remember because Nana made us her famous Goat Feet Stew, with radishes. Oh, what a feast that was. Rolf could not eat for the whole day afterwords." _It's fun listening to him go on."

Double D couldn't help but laugh at hearing Nazz imitate Rolf's accent. "Oh my. It seems he has high hope for me and Marie, eh?" Sure, Rolf still wasn't aware that America's customs was different from his own, but he meant well. And it's always refreshing to hear him talk about his former life. "Well, at least he means well."

At that moment, as if on cue, Edd and Nazz saw Rolf stand up from his table. Kevin and Jonny looked at him with weird expressions, as Rolf started making his way towards Ed and Eddy's table. At this, Nazz laughed.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," she said, earning a puzzled look from Double D. "During Gym, I overheard Rolf talking about why Ed and Eddy were avoiding you. He thinks they think you're, like, abandoning them for Marie, or something like that." The very thought caused Edd to face-palm. _THAT'S why they're mad at me, _he thought. "I guess he's going to go have a talk with them." Nazz then looks at Double D. "Should I go stop him?"

Edd sighed and shook his head. "That won't be necessary, Nazz. I think Rolf might actually be right about why they're acting the way they are. I'll talk to them after school, while they're at work. We can hash everything out then." He then grabbed his backpack. "I need some time to think about my "Marie" problem, however. I suppose I could get both out of the way after school, since I'm most likely escorting her back home. So, a little quiet time in the library should do me some good."

Nazz smiled. "Okay," she replied, in her normally overly preppy way, and stood up. "I'll sit near them, just to make sure Rolf doesn't mess things up anymore than they already are." Edd smiled, giving her an approving nod of the head. And with that, Nazz was off.

Double D stood up after putting his container in his backpack, and was about to head to the library. But something caught his eye. He turned back to his spot and realized he had totally forgot about his chocolate bar. And when he saw it, he couldn't help but remember what Marie said that morning. _"Don't forget about my chocolate bar!" _Sighing, he reluctantly grabbed it and slid it into his backpack before heading to the library.

_**To Be Continued...**_

That's right, folks. I'M ALIVE! Again, I'm so sorry about the long absence. Things happen, what can I say? But that's not important. What IS important is that I'm back, and ready to roll!Like I said in the Author's Notes, this was a slow chapter. Not much excitement, compared to the other chapter. This is just me getting back into the swing of things, by writing a chapter mainly centered on Edd's thoughts. The next chapter will be a little more exciting, I promise. And sorry this chapter was a little shorter than the others. I had more. But if I had included the rest, it would've been TOO long of a chapter. So, I just cut it a little short. Hope you all aren't disappointed. I'll try to update again sometime this week, depending on how many of you are still interested in this story. Well, again, sorry for the wait. PLEASE REVIEW! XD


	7. Coming to Terms

Pairing: Edd/Marie and more as the story continues.

Rating: T

Author's Notes: Hello again, all you loyal readers out there! It is I, Mr. Alaska, with yet another installment of everyone's favorite Ed, Edd n' Eddy story! What can I say? I couldn't stay away from it. I'm firing on all pistons now, folks, so rejoice! Okay, so the last chapter was pretty slow, compared to all the other chapters. That's because I just needed to write a sorta filler chapter, before I dived right into the madness of the Eds. So, basically, this chapter will be about Double D figuring out how he really feels about this whole situation with Marie. Plus, Rolf and Nazz are doing damage control with Ed and Eddy. So, that's a good thing... Or is it? Find out now! So sit back, relax, suck on some jawbreakers, and enjoy the hilarious insanity that is Ed, Edd n' Eddy: Senior Year!

_**Quick Side Note: Okay, I know some of you might not like it, but this will be a shorter chapter, like the last one. I know. But believe me, I have something AMAZING planned for for the next chapter. **_

Chapter 7: Coming to Terms

"What is the meaning of this petty treatment of silence, Ed boys?" Rolf began, as he walked up to Ed and Eddy. The two Eds looked at Rolf with raised eyebrows, not knowing what he was referring to. So, he elaborated. "What causes you two to distance yourselves from the brainy Ed boy? Can't you see this is a joyous moment for him? Double D Ed boy is courting the middle Kanker girl, and becoming a man. So why the hostility?"

Rolf folded his arms across his chest, sat across from them and sent a stern look down at the two, waiting for an answer. When they finally realized he was talking about Double D, Ed started to look sad, while Eddy dawned a look of annoyance.

Ed was the first to answer. "Eddy says Double D is falling for the evil Kanker," he stated, with tears welling up in his eyes. "He is being taken away from us! No more three amigos for us, all because of her! Now who will make Ed pudding skins, just the way I like it? Now who will help Ed with his homework? Who will remind Ed to blink?" Then Ed buried his face in his arms and started to sob, in his overly-dramatic sorta way.

While Ed continued to cry, Eddy growled. "What's it to you, Stretch?" He asked heatedly.

"Rolf only wishes to know why you two are acting like Victor after eating expired cabbage," he answered, not letting up on his stern gaze. "No neck Ed boy is sad, and you are angered. Double D Ed boy is seeing the spirited middle Kanker girl. So why are you angered by this?"

"Because what Sockhead is doing is just wrong," Eddy answered, folding his arms across his chest. "And worst of all, he'll lying to me and Ed here about it." Rolf raised an eyebrow, confused. "The Kankers have been following us for years, ambushing us and all around torturing us. And when we were kids, we made a pact to NEVER fall for one of those creepy stalkers. But what does Sockhead go and do? He goes behind our backs and has a make-out session with one in his car! And then he tried to lie to us, saying it _"wasn't what it looked like." _What a load. We know _exactly _what it looked like. It looked like he was all but _tonguing _that Kanker," he spat, looking positively disgusted.

Rolf sighed and shook his head. "But don't you see that this could be a good thing for him, No-Neck Ed boy?" Eddy raised an eyebrow. "If he does have feeling for the Kanker girl, shouldn't he be allowed to explore them? With or without your approval?" Eddy didn't respond to that.

Looking up from his tear soaked sleeves, Ed jumped back in. "Eddy says that now, Double D will abandon us. Now, Double D will stop being friends with us, just so he can be with that she-demon!"

When Nazz heard this, who was sitting only a few seats down from them, eavesdropping, she finally said something. "Oh c'mon, that's just dumb!" When she said this, Ed, Eddy and Rolf swung their heads in her direction, not noticing her there before. "Double D isn't going to abandon you two!"

"Go-Go Nazz girl," Rolf began, rubbing the back of his neck, "what do you know of this?"

**IN THE LIBRARY**

Ah, the library... Double D's personal sanctuary. The only place in the whole school he could just think, without being disturbed. A place free of noisy conversations, disruptive antics of other classmates, and all around distractions. There were rarely anyone in there during lunch period. Because unlike him, who would love it to be in the library every class period, the vast majority of the kids only go there when an assignment requires it. So, he was pretty much the only person who visited the library on a regular basis.

Double D sat in the back of the library, at the large circular table right next to the large window, which showed the school's parking lot. He sat there, staring off into the cloudy sky, watching snow fall. For some reason, the sight of snow falling seemed to put his mind at ease. It was just so peaceful. Almost mesmerizing, actually. But then, he shook his head violently. He didn't come to the library to watch snow fall. He came here to think of one thing, and one thing only.

'_Marie Kanker_,' he thought, propping his head on the table with his hand and letting out a deep sigh. Even now, the Kankers could strike fear into the hearts of the Eds, even though Eddy learned how to hide it.

He remembered all the times she and her sisters have tormented him, his friends, and the rest of the cul-de-sac for what seemed like a lifetime. Whenever they were around when the Eds were trying one of their scams, they would take it upon themselves to ruin it, especially when it was a semi-successful one. Double D lost count of how many of their scams were thwarted because of them. And he couldn't forget all the running, all the chasing, and all the forced, smothering kisses. It was as if the Eds were beasts of pray, and the Kankers were they personal hunters. No matter how fast they ran, no matter where they hid, the Kankers would sniff them out, and bombard them with kisses. And he _**despised**_it. But, again, all of that was from his childhood. And no matter how much he remembered about his youth, he couldn't forget the _**real**_ reason he needed to come to the library.

The real reason he was there was because his view of Marie Kanker was changing.

It all started two nights ago. He had gotten off work, right after turning down a chance to ride back with Rolf. To his dismay, the weather had changed dramatically during his shift. He was about to make the journey back home on his own when, to his surprise, Marie showed up and "offered" him a ride to his place. He was skeptical, but accepted it, nevertheless. It was there that Double D witnessed a side of Marie that he never knew she had.

Marie Kanker, the girl who, as far as Double D knew, never took anything serious, showed genuine concern for his well-being. For the first time, Double D saw Marie without the usual mischievous smirk that made him feel uneasy. He didn't see Marie Kanker, his tormenter. That night, he just saw a girl who was afraid for him. Sure, she chose to demonstrate it by scolding him, but even then, he could see how sincere she truly was in her eyes. That was the _first_ thing.

The second came the previous night. It was after his unofficial date with Marie, as his way of repaying her for the ride she gave him the night before. The "date" itself, much to his surprise, wasn't as bad as he imagined it would be. Yeah, Lee and May harassed Ed and Eddy nearly the entire time they were there. But Marie, for reasons unknown, merely fell asleep on Double D's shoulder. Other than that, and Eddy yelling at him afterwords, it was very tolerable. It was what happened later that night that _**REALLY**_ caused Double D to question his view on Marie.

Marie kissed him on the lips.

Double D could feel his face warm up and his legs begin to shake as he remembered the kiss Marie gave him. It wasn't anything like when they were kids. This was totally different. The kiss Marie gave him that night wasn't rough and misplaced. On the contrary, it was well-placed, gentle, and to his shock, very enjoyable. Even now, he could still remember how good it felt. He could still remember how much meaning was behind it. He couldn't bring himself to say he didn't enjoy it.

Out of all the kisses Marie has given him over the span of near six years, that kiss was the most gentle, the most passionate, and the most meaningful kiss he had ever experienced. It was how a kiss should be. But that night, he tried to convince himself that nothing has changed. He told himself it was hormones that made the kiss so enjoyable, and nothing else. That it was the body's natural reaction that made him want to experience it again. And with the idea that he could control his basic instincts, it seemed like a reasonably simple fix.

But it turned out to be easier said than done, because when Marie kissed him again that very morning, the results were the same as the night before. He couldn't move, and he couldn't talk. What wasn't the same, however, was _how_ she kissed him. Unlike the previous night which was no more than a soft, almost feather-like kiss, this one was a lot more personal. Instead of just making contact with their lips, Marie went beyond that and went a few steps further. This time, she was sitting on his lap, straddling him, arms wrapped around his neck, body pressed against his, and mouth fully and firmly pressed against his. The smell of her rose perfume was all he could smell, her lips were all he could feel, and her face was all he could see... That kiss was almost too much for him to take.

But in the end, despite it being witnessed by all his friends and embarrassing him, he had to admit that it felt good, hormones or not. It might not have been quite as passionate as the previous one, but it felt good, regardless. He was able to admit that much. It was when he was able to admit that to himself, Double D came to a decision. He knew what he had to do. There was only one way to know for sure if this was the real thing or just the body's chemical reaction, and he knew what it was. So, he then grabbed his backpack from off the floor, stood up, and walked out of the library. Before leaving he looked at the clock. He had eight minutes left until lunch was over.

He needed to see Nazz again... Then Marie.

_**BACK WITH THE OTHERS**_

Nazz had just finished explaining what really happened between Double D and Marie to Ed, Eddy and Rolf. Nazz told Double D she'd jump in if Rolf was making matters worse, but in actuality, that wasn't the reason why she did. She knew Rolf wasn't going to convince Ed or Eddy to do anything. Ed had a one-track mind and Eddy was just too stubborn. So, Rolf was doomed to failure from the start. So, she took it upon herself to straighten everything out, once and for all. She left out that it was the second kiss time Marie kissed him, and said it was the first. She also left out the part of Double D _**liking **_the kiss.

By the end of the story, Ed seemed less depressed, and Eddy seemed less angry. He didn't believe Double D when he said it because, after all, he did take Marie on a date the night before. So, catching them making out after a date was easy to believe. But Eddy was more inclined to believe Nazz, since she didn't benefit from it if it wasn't true. "Yaaaaaaaaay," Ed cheered, "Double D isn't abandoning us! Ed is happy once again! We are three, once more!"

Nazz sighed. "Yes Ed. Double D isn't "abandoning" you or Eddy for Marie." She then looked over to Eddy. "Is Double D off the hook now, Eddy?"

Eddy let out a deep sigh and leaned back in his seat. "I guess so," he said reluctantly, scratching his neck. "If Sockhead was just being his regular doormat self, then I can't hold it against him... Though, the guy needs to grow a backbone when it comes to Marie." He then looked over to Ed. "You too, Lumpy. I'm tired of helping you out with May when I'm busy dealing with my own Kanker."

Rolf then let out a somewhat depressed sigh, as Ed and Edd started to argue. "And here Rolf thought Double D Ed boy was finally taking Rolf's advice. I guess he's just not ready yet."

Nazz giggled. "Boy, Rolf. You sure are a romantic guy, aren't you? And here I thought _**I **_was the romantic one." But then, after Ed and Eddy were don't arguing, Nazz looked at Eddy. "But seriously, Eddy," she said, "why were you so angry when you thought Double D was with Marie? Because I think it's not just because she's a Kanker." Eddy didn't reply at first. He just scowled and looked away. But Nazz kept at it. "C'mon, dude. Out with it."

Eddy let out a flustered sigh, knowing Nazz wasn't going to let the subject go now that she brought it up. "Look Nazz," he began, "I just don't trust the Kankers, Marie especially." Nazz and Rolf looked at each other, confused. When they looked back to Eddy, he continued. "Double D is a nice guy. He never does anything to upset anyone, if he could help it. He's always the voice of reason, and always tries to make others happy, if given the chance..." He then paused. "But the guy's emotions can get the better of him. And I just know that if he ever did fall for Marie, it could only end badly."

There was an awkward silence between the four teens. Rolf scratched the back of his head. "What do you mean, Ed boy?"

"I mean Marie would take advantage of him," Eddy answered, sounding a little frustrated. "Marie is the smartest Kanker, and she's the most conniving. If Double D did end up falling for her, she'd find some sort of angle n' work it. Me and Ed have seen it many times before. When we would young, Marie would act sad from time to time, for no reason. All the Kankers tried it at one point. They'd pretend to cry or be really depressed, and try to lure us to them... It never worked on me or Lumpy, but Double D would fall for it, every single time..." When Rolf and Nazz gave him curious looks, Eddy sighed. "Marie was a _**very **_convincing actor, alright?"

Nazz raised an eyebrow. "... So, you're main concern is that Marie would, like, break his heart or something?"

Eddy crossed his arms across his chest and dawned a stubborn look. "It ain't just that," he reminded her. "I just flat out don't trust those Kankers. They're nothing but trouble. They mess shit up, just for the hell of it. They lie, they cheat, and they do everything in their power to make us as miserable as humanly possible. That's just the way they operate. Simple as that. So, yeah, I'm concerned for Sockhead. But I also know that Kankers are nothing but trouble. They were trouble five years ago, and they are trouble now."

"But Eddy," Nazz countered, "what if this is real?" Eddy raised an eyebrow. "That was years ago. They aren't the same now. What if Marie actually wants to be with Double D?"

Eddy snorted and rolled his eyes. "As if. Marie is doing what she always does." Nazz frowned, and was about to counter, but Eddy cut her off. "I'm sorry, Nazz. But this isn't some romantic movie or story. This is reality. And in this reality, the only thing the Kankers love is making us miserable."

"Oh! Oh! And their ship in a bottle," Ed added. "Don't forget about their ship in a bottle! Remember? They destroy-inated the whole cul-de-sac lookin' for it. Remember? It was funny, 'cuz it was stuck to my finger."

"..." Eddy just looked at Ed, who stared back at him with his big, goofy smile. Then, he nodded and sighed. "Anyway," he continued, "the only things the Kankers love is making us miserable...and their ship in a bottle."

At this, Nazz huffed and pouted. "Whatever."

"Hey, if it's "relationships" that interest you, then why haven't you and Shovel Chin gotten together yet?" He asked, nudging his head in Kevin's direction. Nazz blushed and looked away, embarrassed. Much like Double D, Eddy realized that Nazz had a thing for Kevin. And while at first, he was disappointed, when they entered high school and saw how preppy she really was, he decided that it would have never worked out between them. "Well, Nazz?" Eddy continued, a little smug. "Have you managed to work up the nerve to ask him out? Or are you waiting for him to ask you?"

"..." Nazz was quiet at first. She just blushed and stared at the floor. Then, she frowned. "Shut up."

Eddy laughed at that. He was about to continue teasing her, when he saw Double D enter the lunchroom. He watched him look around the room, then he stopped when he looked in their direction. As Double D made his way over there, Eddy opened his moth to talk to him, but stopped when he saw his expression. He looked serious, determined. "Hey Sockhead," he greeted, "where you've been?"

When Ed saw Double D coming, he smiled brightly. "Hiya Double D," he blurted out, waving his hand frantically. "Look! We're over here! We can be friends again!" But, for some reason, Double D didn't respond to him or Eddy. Instead, he went directly to Nazz.

"Nazz, remember when we were talking earlier and you mentioned some restaurant near Lemon Brook?" Hearing his question, Nazz raised a suspicious eyebrow and slowly nodded her head. Ed, Eddy and Rolf looked at each other, confused. "What was the name of it?"

"Ummm," she began, "it's called Antonucci's." *_**You all see what I did there?***_

"Thank you, Nazz. That's all is required." And with that, Double D turned and bolted in the other direction, leaving behind a confused Ed, Eddy and Rolf.

Nazz, on the other hand, just giggled.

_**To Be Continued...**_

Ooooooooooh... The plot thickens! Hahahahaha! Did anyone catch the reference I made with the name of the restaurant? If you did, congrats. But enough about that. Let's get down to what is really important. It seems that Double D found a possible way of determining whether or not he truly likes Marie. I tried to be subtle about it... But, then I realized there wasn't a way of writing it without all you guessing what he was planning on doing. But, I digress. How did you enjoy it? Was it a little more interesting than the last one? Hope to hear from all of you soon!


	8. The Moment of Truth

Pairing: Edd/Marie, and more as the story continues.

Rating: T

Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay in the update again, my loyal fans. Hope I didn't make you all think I was going in hiatus again, did I? Well, don't worry. I'm back. I was just busy getting a new job as a sub-custodian for my local schools. I know, not a glamorous job, I know. But hey, money is money, and I need me some green. And that's why I haven't updated as soon as I was hoping... Anyways, let's get back to what y'all have been waiting for. Last chapter, I left you hanging with somewhat of a cliffhanger. It seems like Double D had finally came to a decision concerning our favorite Kanker. And I know I kinda made it obvious in the last chapter what it is, but, I digress. I'm sure this is gonna be the chapter you all have been waiting for. So, without further ado, I give you the next chapter! So grab your jawbreakers and take a load off.

**Side Note: I made a reference in the last chapter, but not everyone got it. The reference was the restaurant. I called it "Antonucci's" after the show's creator, Danny Antonucci. I was kinda proud of myself when I came up with that. And also, for all you readers out there who enjoy longer chapter, hang on to your panties, because this one will outdo the rest... I mean it... IT IS FREAKIN' LONGER THAN HELL! XD **

Chapter 8: The Moment of Truth

'…. So this is really happening,' Marie thought, as she frantically rummaged through her's and her sisters' closet. She glanced up at the clock, with it reading 5:20pm. She had a good ten minutes before he showed up. 'I've gotta find something good,' she told herself, increasing her search. 'This is what I've been waiting for for so long... I _**CAN'T **_mess this up!'

Marie was nervous, and for good reason.

_**Flashback**_

_Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik-tok._

'I swear, if they don't get a freakin' digital clock in this room soon, I'm going to lose it,' Marie thought darkly as she sat in Detention, twirling a lock of her deep blue hair around her finger. Earlier that day, Marie was caught trying to cheat during a test. Naturally, she denied it. But unfortunately, this was a class where she got caught cheating more than once. So, convincing the teacher otherwise was simply pointless.

As the last minutes of lunch neared, she glared at the clock. 'Why is it that every other classroom in this dumb building has a digital clock but _THIS _one?' She let out a frustrated sigh as she rested her head on her desk. _'_Guess it's their way of torturing us... It's effective, I'll give them that much.' The temptation to grab the nearest object and chucking it at the instrument of torture was almost too much for the Kanker to handle. The only thing keeping her from doing exactly that was the knowledge that they'd just replace it with another one. Plus, that would just give them another reason to stick her in Detention.

But, no matter how annoying she found the clock to be, it could never completely rid her of her happy mood. As she remembered back to that morning, a blush and a long grin crept onto her face. She sighed happily, and propped her head on her hands. This morning was a personal victory for her. Up until recently, she was almost certain that her affection towards Double D would never be return... Well, she hopefully believed that maybe _**one day **_he'd return her affection, but she was sure that it wouldn't happen anytime soon.

But this morning gave the Kanker girl hope. A cheerful giggle escaped Marie's lips as she remembered the kiss she gave Double D that morning. Even now, her lips were still tingling from the experience. It wasn't like the previous kiss from the night before. That was somewhat of a surprise kiss, one that he wasn't expecting. At first, she believed that Double D was finally falling for her, because of the lack of resistance he gave her during the kiss. But, later that night, she sighed and simply acknowledge it was just him being in shock.

But this morning was different. This time, as she pressed her lips firmly against his, she could almost swear she felt him kiss her back. It wasn't much, of course. But as the chair reclined back, even with her weight on him, she swore she felt Double D return the kiss, ever so slightly.

'It took about seven years,' Marie thought happily, reaching up and feeling her still tingling lips, 'but he's finally becoming mine... I can't wait to get home and tell Lee and May. They'll be _**soooo **_jealous!' With a yawn, Marie glanced at the clock. Five more minutes until Detention was over. She then looked at the teacher's desk, only to discover that the teacher responsible of watching her was gone. Rolling her eyes, she stood up. 'Musta ditched me while I was daydreaming,' she thought. 'Well, I don't see why I should stick around if no one is going to bother to watch me.' Marie reached for her backpack, when she heard the door open. She sat back down abruptly, thinking it was the teacher.

But, much to her surprise, it was none other that Double D. Immediately, a sly smirk appeared on Marie's face. "Why, if it isn't _Double Dreamboat_," she chirped happily, standing up and placing her hands on her hips. She saw Double D stiffen up as she slowly approached him, and giggled. "You know," she continued, placing her hands underneath Double D's chin, "ever since that kiss this morning, I couldn't get you out of my mind. What about you? Have you been thinking about me, too?"

Double D cleared his throat as he stepped out of Marie's reach. "Well," he began, straightening his tie, "yes, as a matter of fact. After this morning's _incident_, I have been thinking about you a lot. We're the talk of the school, if you haven't noticed." Even though Double D was blushing, shaking, and his voice was low and shaky, it seems he had finally mastered the art of talking to Marie without stuttering. Sure, he was nervous and still sounded terrified, but he was happy to be rid of his stutter. "I came here to ask you something. I was planning on waiting until after school to ask you, but I decided that it would be better to ask you now."

Marie raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" She asked, leaning against the teacher's desk. Her mischievous grin grew longer. "Did you come to ask for another kiss?" She asked, reaching into her open backpack and pulling out a thing of bright red lipstick. "Because all you have to do is give me the word." A nervous bead of sweat ran down Double D's head as Marie began to apply the lipstick.

But, Double D simply shook it off and continued. "As tempting as the offer is, I'll have to kindly decline," he answered calmly, scratching the back of his neck. "But as I was saying, I had something I need to ask you, Marie. And I think it is in our best interests if you let me ask it." Rolling her eyes, Marie nodded. "Okay... Before I ask you my real question, there is another one I've been wanting to ask you for a while now." Marie raised an eyebrow, wanting him to elaborate. "What do you see in me?"

There was a moment of silence between the two after Double D asked his first question. He looked at Marie, and knew that she wasn't expecting a question like that. She rubbed the back of her neck and sighed. "I don't know," she replied, sounding uncertain. "I guess I just like smart guys. And, seeing as every other guy in this school is a moron, I guess you were a shoe-win."

Double D raised an eyebrow of his own. "Is that all you like about me? My intelligence?" While Double D felt flattered that she gave him a legitimate reason, he had a feeling she wasn't sure herself by the way she answered him. Something in her voice sounded off.

"... Well," she continued, a little more quiet then before, "you are the cutest one out of the Eds. You and that hair of yours... Plus, you seemed like a nice guy... Sooo..." There was yet another moment of awkward silence. Marie continued to rub her neck and look to the floor, while Double D studied her body language. It was weird at first, but Double D believed that she was getting _embarrassed _about his question. She was no longer making eye contact, she was rubbing her neck in an uncomfortable fashion, and a light blush was starting to form on her face.

Somewhat satisfied with the two answers, Double D cleared his throat once more. "I see," he replied evenly, his voice back to its normal volume. He then took a deep breath. "Well, in that case, I guess now would be a good time to ask you this..." Marie looked up. "Will you go on a date with me tonight? A _**real**_ date?"

"..." Marie stood there, eyes wide open and mouth agate, as if Double D had just said something to her in a different language. "Wh-what?" She asked, with a little bit of a hesitation.

"I asked if you wanted to go on a date with me tonight," he repeated. Marie looked confused, excited, and skeptical all wrapped into one. Obviously she never imaged Double D asking her out, especially giving their history. So, he elaborated. "Well, since you seem sincere about your feelings towards me, I just figured it was only fair if I gave a possible relationship with you a chance."

Marie stared at him, almost not believing her own ears. "... Do you have feelings for me?" She asked, her voice a little quieter than normal.

Double D took a second before answering her, and sighed. "I honestly don't know, Marie... I mean, despite all of the less than pleasant history between us and despite what my friends think, I think going out on a date with you wouldn't be such a terrible thing... Will it work out? I don't know. But I think an actual date is an excellent way to find out." So there it was. Double D did what he set out to do. He successfully asked out Marie Kanker. Albeit, he was terrified and nervous beyond belief, but he masked it rather well. Now all that was needed was for Marie to agree or disagree. But Double D knew better. He knew what her answer would be. "So what do you think?"

Marie didn't hesitate. "Sure, I'm game," she answered nonchalantly, burying her hands deep into her pockets. "You can pick me up at 5:30. Where are you taking me?"

Double D let out a sigh of relief. While he knew he still had the actual date to worry about now, he was just glad that he managed to actually ask her out. "It's called Antonucci's. It's out near Lemon Brook. Supposed to be a upscale establishment, but you don't need a reservation to eat there. At least that's what-!"

_**RING!**_

And there was the bell signaling the end of lunch. Immediately after, the sound of students marching through the halls could be heard. Double D mumbled something beneath his breath, and started to make his way towards the door. Before leaving, he stopped at the doorway and turned back to Marie. "So... Pick you up at 5:30, you said?"

"Ummm," Marie hesitated, grabbing his backpack and throwing it around her shoulders, "yeah, I guess so..."

Double D nodded, gave her a small, almost uncertain grin, and left for his next class. But, after Double D left, Marie's cool demeanor completely vanished. 'Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God,' she thought frantically, pulling out her cellphone and calling Lee and May. Lee had her own car, and right now, Marie needed to get home ASAP. "Lee, I need you to come to school and pick me up. Now!"

_**End Flashback**_

Marie couldn't remember being as nervous as she was now. Double D had asked her out on an actual date. And, while she has been dreaming about him doing that for a while now, this was also proving to be a little more stressful than she anticipated. Ever since she got back home, she had been thinking about what to do, how to act, and what to say during the date. For Marie, this one date is the only date with Double D she sees herself getting. The last one was a practice date, at least for Double D. And from what he said earlier that day, it sounds as if this date will determine everything. Marie looked back at the clock again.

It was now 5:25pm.

'Oh shit,' Marie thought, scanning over all the clothes in her closet again. Time was running out. 'What to wear? What to wear?' But finally, after going over all the clothes again, Marie spotted something. After inspecting it, a satisfied grin appeared on Marie's face. 'Perfect.'

_**With Double D**_

'Well... This is it,' Double D thought, as he pulled out of his driveway and headed towards the Park n' Flush. 'I'm actually going on an actual date with Marie Kanker... By the end of tonight, I will have my answer.' Double D was dressed similarly to his usual attire. White loose fitting dress shirt, long black tie, black dress pants, and a pair of recently shined black dress shoes. He did, however, leave his green hat back home.

But, Double D was nervous beyond measure. This was going to be his first official date, and it was with none other than Marie Kanker, his childhood tormentor. Just then, he could feel his palms beginning to sweat a little. But, he took a deep breath, shook his head, and tried to calm himself down. 'You can do this, Eddward,' he reassured himself. 'This has to be done. There's no other way. This is the only way of finding out what is happening.'

Double D then let out a miserable groan. Things were happening far too fast for him. It wasn't even three days ago he was still terrified to even be in the same room as Marie. Up until a few days ago, he never imagined he'd be doing what he was doing now. Back then, the very idea of going out with Marie was simply unthinkable. But yet here he was, all dressed up and on his way to pick up the very same Marie Kanker for his first date. He looked down at his watch.

It was 5:28pm.

Double D let out a long sigh of anxiety. No matter how many deep breaths he took, or what he told himself, he still felt as if he was gonna hurl at any moment. As the sign of the Park n' Flush trailer park came into view, Double D took in a sharp gasp of air. 'Try to get it together,' he told himself sternly. 'You've had all day to prepare yourself for this.' Despite what he was telling himself, he couldn't seem to stop himself from trembling as he pulled up to the Kankers' trailer. As he put his car into park, he took a good minute taking deep breaths, just so he could get the sick feeling from his being and to settle down his ever pounding heartbeat. After that, he was relieved when he felt slightly better. 'Okay... Here I go,' he thought, as he turned off his car and stepped out. Despite the snow fall, he was glad to discover that a lot of the trailer park has been thoroughly shoveled and salted. So, after taking another deep breath, Double D made his way to the Kankers' trailer, and knocked on the door.

A few seconds passed before he heard footsteps on the other side of the door. His heart began to pick up pace again, but his steady breathing helped get it back to its preferred speed. But, Lee was the one who answered. "Our mom's not h-!" She began, until she saw it was Double D who knocked. When she saw this, she raised a curious eyebrow. "What do you want?" She asked, rather rudely.

At first, Double D hesitated to answer the oldest of the Kankers. While Lee wasn't his personal tormentor, she was able to scare him just as much as Marie could. Only difference is Lee was a bit more physical. "O-oh, hello L-Lee," Double D stammered. "Ummm... I-I'm sorry i-if I came at a bad time, b-but I'm here to p-pick up M-Marie for our d-date... Is sh-she ready?" _Darned stutter, _Double D thought to himself, as he received an astonished looks from Lee and May, who was laying on the couch watching TV when she overheard Double D.

"..." At first, Lee just stared at him, her expression unreadable due to that red hair of hers. Then, she put her hands on her hips and gave him a suspicious look. May, on the other hand, had an expression that was a mix of jealousy and confusion. Lee was about to say something, when a familiar voice cut her off.

"I'm ready, Double D." The voice belonged to Marie Kanker, who had just finished applying the last of her make-up. Double D, Lee and May all turned to Marie, who was walking down the stairs. But when Double D saw what she was wearing, he almost forgot to breathe. She was no longer wearing her jacket, tank-top, baggy pants, or her tennis shoes. Now, Marie wore a long blue, single shoulder-strap silk dress, that went down to just above her ankles with a pair of matching high-heels. Her hair, which was normally almost as bushy as his, was now brushed and straightened, going even further down her back. Her bangs still concealed one half of her face, but he could see she had on a light application of light blue eyeshadow. "What do you think, Double D?"

Double D wasn't going to lie to himself. Marie Kanker had certainly grown into an attractive young woman, and what she wore only made that fact more obvious. Without the baggy jacket and pants, Double D was awe-struck by Marie's slim figure... Not that he didn't already know she was skinny. But with that dress on, he could clearly see how well-trimmed and almost perfect her body was.

But he was brought back into reality when he started to feel his face begin to warm up. He coughed nervously, and looked at Marie, who was now standing right in front of him. "Ummm... Y-you look very nice, M-Marie," he replied, hating that fact that he couldn't control his stutter. He thought he had finally overcame that annoying habit. "W-well," he continued nervous, motioning towards the door, "I g-guess we should be on our-!"

"Hold it right there, bozo," Lee interrupted, as she and May stepping in front of them. "What is going on here? Did she trick ya into another fake date again?"

Marie sent Lee and May a dark scowl. "None of your business," she replied, putting her hands on her hips. Double D rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, knowing all too well where this was heading.

"It _is_ my business," Lee countered, with May nodding her head. "I'm your sister. Your _**older **_sister, at that. Mom put me in charge of both you and May. If something happened to you, it's my ass on the line." Double D raised an eyebrow when he heard this. That was a very uncharacteristic thing for Lee to say. "Why didn't you at least tell us?"

"Yeah," May agreed. "We're sisters. And sisters are supposed to tell each other everything."

Marie rolled her eyes. "Because I didn't want you two inviting yourselves along like last time and ruining it for us." Lee and May gave Marie offended looks. "Look," she sighed, "if you _**must **_know, Double D asked _**me **_out. I didn't "trick" him into doing shit, alright? Now, can you please get out of the way so we can-!"

"Not so fast," Lee said, cutting her off. She then turned to Double D with a suspicious frown. "I still have some questions I want an-!"

"U-ummm... Excuse me? L-Lee?" Double D interrupted. "I-I'm sorry... B-but I really did ask Marie out. A-and while I would love to answer yours and May's questions..." He took a second to take a deep breath. "I-I'm afraid I made reservations. And if we don't get there soon, our table might be taken." Marie looked at Double D, surprised. Double D, the most honest and trusting of the Eds, just _LIED _to Lee. "I-I'm sure you have some questions," he continued, loosening his tie ever so slight, "but we really should be going."

Lee didn't say anything at first. She just looked at May, and exchanged looks with one another. Then, she turned back to Double D with a stern look. "... Fine..." With that, Lee and May stepped out of Double D's and Marie's way.

"Th-thank you," Double D thanked awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. He then looked to Marie, and, with splash of new found courage, timidly offered her his arm. "Ummm," he continued, voice as shaky as ever, "sh-shall we be going, M-Marie?" Marie looked at his gesture, smiled, and slowly hooked her arm with is.

"Such a gentleman," she giggled, as she and Double D slowly made their way out the door. But before they left, Marie turned her head and stuck her tongue out at Lee and May. "Jealous?" She asked smugly, right before she and Double D walked out the trailer, closing the door behind them.

Now alone, May turned to Lee with a confused frown. "What just happened, Lee?" She asked dumbly, looking back at the door and scratching the top of her head. Lee didn't answer. She just huffed, folded her arms across her chest, and sat back down on the couch.

_**With Double D & Marie**_

As the two entered the car and buckled up, Double D glanced at Marie. She hadn't said anything since they left her trailer. Albeit, there was only a ten second span between leaving her trailer and getting into his car. But still, Double D found it odd. She just sat there, staring out the window, as if she was in deep thought. 'Hmm,' he thought, starting his car, 'I hope her sisters didn't ruin her mood.'

Nervously, as he pulled out of her driveway, Double D cleared his throat. "So, ummm..." He pause for a second, trying to think of something to say. "H-have you ever been to Antonucci's before?"

"No," Marie answered softly, looking from the window to Double D. "But I've heard it's a real nice place... Have you?"

Double D could see that Marie was nervous herself, which wasn't something you see everyday. It kinda helped him with some of his anxiety, knowing he wasn't the only nervous one. But, he didn't bring it up. "No. I actually just learned about it today from Nazz." When he mentioned Nazz, Marie gave him a confused look. "I needed some advice," he clarified, "and she was around. She thought I should ask you out, and mentioned Antonucci's as a good place to go." As he explained that to her, he was pleasantly surprised that his stutter was gone again.

"How do your friends feel about you asking me out?" Marie asked. Double D didn't answer her immediately, and she saw a less than pleasant expression on his face. "... Do they know?"

Double D shook his head. "No, I didn't tell them," he sighed. "They aren't as willing to forget and forgive you or your sisters for the past as I am... Besides," he sighed, making a turn, "I don't see why I should have to share everything with them, especially when I know they wouldn't want to hear it."

"O-oh... Okay," Marie said, sounding a little sorry she asked. "... So they don't approve?"

Again, Double D shook his head. "No, not in the slightest."

"So why are you doing this?" She asked, sounding genuinely curious. "Why are you so willing to forgive me and my sisters? And why did you ask me out, when you know Ed and Eddy wouldn't like it?" Double D glanced at her when he heard the seriousness in her voice. "I mean... You guys have been friends for, like, forever, right?" Double D nodded. "So why?"

Marie wasn't expecting what Double D was going to say next.

"Because it isn't their place to tell me what decisions to make," he answered, sounding just as serious as Marie was. "They are my dearest friends, don't get me wrong," he continued. "And I do value their opinions on most things... But I want to know if there could be something between you and me, probably as much as you do." Marie stared at him, surprised at both what he was saying, and how certain he sounded about it. "I'm not going to lie to you Marie. My feelings and opinion on you have changed over the past couple days, and I don't know what to make of it. Am I becoming infatuated with you? Is it just hormones? I don't know, but this date will help me answer that."

Marie didn't know what to say. She had no idea Double D gave it that much thought. But what surprised her the most was how honest he was being with her. While it was discouraging to hear him say he wasn't sure if things would work out with them, it was also nice to hear him say he was willing to give the thought a chance. "... Can I ask you something?" Double D nodded, making another turn. "Despite all the shit me and my sisters have done to you, do you really think you could be in love with me, and it not be because of hormones?"

Double D took a few seconds before he answered her. He could hear the tone in her voice, and could tell she was scared about what his answer was. "As in do I believe I would be happy with pursuing a relationship with you, if that ends up being a possible outcome?" Marie nodded. Double D took a deep breath before answering. "You are a very attractive woman, Marie," he began, with a blush slowly creeping across his face. "And despite your loud, disruptive, and sometimes frightening nature, I believe it's worth the effort to get to know you on a personal level. I don't see you as the she-demon, sent from an unholy plain to torment me as I used to. I see you sincerely have feelings of affection for me, even though you chose a less than desirable form of expression it in the past. Denying the chance to explore those feelings, especially with my opinion of you not being what it used to be, would be idiotic. And if by the end of the night I find myself wanting to explore the possibilities of a relationship with you... I'd be just fine with that."

"..."

Marie Kanker was utterly speechless after she heard what Double D said. She was expecting a simple "Yes or No" answer. But no... That was, without the shadow of a doubt, the nicest, most meaningful thing anyone had ever said about her in entire life. Double D didn't just tell her he thought she was an attractive woman, but he followed it up by saying he believed it was worth getting to know her on an personal level, as well. In her whole 18 years of life, Marie had never dreamed she would hear anyone say anything as personal, as caring, and as meaningful as Double D just did. And this was Double D... The boy who she and her sisters have been tormenting for almost seven long years. He wasn't promising her anything, and after what she and her sisters had put him through, she couldn't blame him. But the fact that he cared enough to say all of that, to give her a second chance, to even go as far as to say if he enjoyed the night, that he'd be perfectly happy calling her his girlfriend, was almost too much for the girl to take in at once.

"O-oh... U-ummm, th-thank you D-Double D." Now there was something you just didn't see or hear everyday. Marie Kanker was bright pink in the face, and had just _stuttered_, right in front of Double D. To witness that was like winning the lottery, and Double D literally had a front row seat to it.

"Are you alright, Marie?"

Embarrassed, Marie quickly looked back out the window. "I-I'm fine," she told him, not sounding or looking convincing in the least bit. Her voice was much higher when she said it, her face was the same color as an eraser on a pencil, and from where Double D was sitting, he could've swore he saw her legs trembling a little bit. He smiled, trying not to snicker when he realized what had just happened. He had absolutely no idea his words were going to have such a strong effect on the girl sitting across from him. Though, he wasn't lying. Marie, despite her personality, was quite attractive. It's just that before all this madness with him and Marie started, he never really took that much time to rate her appearance.

'…. I can't believe he just said all that to me,' she thought, as she started taking quiet sharp intakes of air. '…. H-he really thinks I'm attractive?' She could feel her heart beat at a little faster pace, and she could feel her palms start to sweat. But then, she abruptly shook her head. 'Get a hold of yourself, Marie,' she told herself. 'He's just saying all that just to be nice.'

Now, as you all know, Marie was anything but like most girls. She was raised to be tough, and not be swayed by something insignificant as a few sweet words. Her mother could be thanked for that... But when she actually had someone say something like THAT to her, it was as if she had temporarily been transformed into some sort of love-struck schoolgirl from some lame TV drama or something...

At that point, Marie realized that this date might be more difficult than she anticipated.

_**10 Minutes Later**_

For the rest of the way, Marie sat in completely silent and stared out the window, as snow slowly started to fall from the sky again. She was in deep thought again, still thinking about what Double D had said to her.

'…. He sounded so _casual _when he said it,' she thought. 'In one foul swoop, he tells me he thinks I'm _attractive_, thought it was worth getting to know me on a personal level, and even said the idea of me being his girlfriend was _just fine_ with him... It's like he doesn't even remember all the shit me, Lee and May did to him over the years.' She watched snowflakes lazily fall past her passenger window, trying to figure out what was happening. 'And what do I do?' She asked herself, angrily. 'I blush and stutter like a-!'

"Marie." Double D's voice brought her back into reality. She violently shook her head and looked at him. "... We're here," he told her, as the pulled into the parking lot. Marie was surprised they were already there. Though, most people don't have a good concept of time when in deep thought. It could've taken an hour to get there, and Marie would've noticed unless Double D said something. Not replying, Marie simple gave him a small smile, nodded, unbuckled herself and stepped out. And when Double D followed, they both took a second to inspect the place.

Antonucci's was an Italian restaurant, just on the outskirts of Lemon Brook. It wasn't the biggest restaurant they've ever seen, but it definitely wasn't a simple dinner. It was similar to a Red Lobster restaurant, but with valet parking, a more enforced dress code, and had a little more artistic flare to its building design, with the design being Italian Renaissance. Vines were hanging off the top of the building and there were duplicates of famous statues, like Michelangelo's David, and others placed out front. Above the entrance the restaurant's name, _Antonucci's_, was written in cursive.

'…. Well, I can honestly say this is the fanciest place I've ever been taken to,' Marie thought to herself, glancing at Double D as he straightened his tie. Seeing him do that made her want to look over herself as well. She took a few seconds to straighten her dress out and, just to be on the safe side, applied some lipstick. She puckered her lips in the rear view mirror on Double D's side of the car. 'Niiiiiiice.' As Marie straightened out her hair, she looked at Double D. He was rummaging through his wallet. She was surprised that, along with a few twenties and fifties, she saw he still had the slip of paper with her number on it from the other night.

Double D, after counting his money, put his wallet back in his back pocket and turned to Marie. "So... You ready?" Judging by the sound in his voice, Marie could tell he was a little nervous. But... She could understand why. She was too. This was her first real date, as well. And, with the boy she'd been chasing for years, nevertheless. So, this was a big deal, once she really thought about it... But, it was too late for either of them to chicken out now. So, Marie nodded. "Alright," Double D said, trying to sound casual about it, "lets get going, then..." He was about to lead the way, when he stopped himself. Marie watched him as he turned back to her and, like at her house, offered her his arm.

After seeing the gesture for the second time that night, Marie couldn't help but snicker. "Oh my. And here I was, thinking you only did that once to impress my sisters. You really are a gentleman." The teasing tone in her voice wasn't lost on Double D, but she smiled and accepted it, just like the first time. As the two walked across the parking lot, Marie couldn't help but roll her eyes at how Double D was acting. She knew him well enough to know he wasn't doing what he was doing for comedic sake. She knew he was dead serious with this whole "Polite Gentleman" thing of his. He has been like that for years... But, when it gets applied in an actual date in modern times, it seems almost off, or something... Not that she was going to complain about it or anything. And when they reached the front door, as predicted, Double D stepped forward and opened the door for her. _And they say chivalry is dead_, Marie thought.

_**Meanwhile, with Ed & Eddy**_

"_Jack, I'll never let you g-!"_

"Change it."

"_Wheel... Of... Fort-!"_

"Change it."

"_Make me a vampire, Edwa-!"_

"Oh dear God, change it!" As Ed continued to change the channel on Eddy's TV, it was becoming clear that, like more often than not, there wasn't anything good on. Lame sitcoms, old game shows, and sappy romantic vampire movies. "Man," Eddy groaned, stretching his whole body out, "what happened to all the good stuff? 150 channels and NOTHING good is on? What's the deal with that?"

"We can go to my house n' watched monster movies," Ed suggested, with a big, goofy, hopeful grin on his face. "We can watch _Attack of the Mutant Clam_, or maybe-!"

"Nah, those are getting old too Lumpy," Eddy cut him off, standing up from his recliner. He then reached out, grabbed the remote from Ed, and turned off the TV. "We might as well get our stupid homework done, since nothing good is on. I'm sure Sockhead already has his done." As Ed sighed and opened his backpack, Eddy reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone. But, after dialing his number, it went straight to his voice-mail.

"_Hello, this is Eddward Double D speaking," _it said._ "I can't make it to the phone right now. But if you leave your name and phone number after the beep, I was make sure to contact you as soon as I get the chance. Thank you. BEEP!" _Eddy frowned. Double D had his phone turned off. Curious, Eddy walked to his window and looked outside, only to discover Double D's car was gone.

"Where's Double D, Eddy?" Ed asked, as he spread his work across Eddy's coffee table.

"... Guess he got called into work," he shrugged, sitting back down in his recliner. He glanced at all the homework they've been given, then looked back at the TV. And, with a tired groan, he grabbed the remote and turned it back on.

_**Back with Double D and Marie**_

By now, Double D and Marie have already been seated at a table, and were going done the menu. The inside of Antonucci's was similar to its outside décor. There were paintings on the walls made to look like Venice's streets and canals. All the waiters and waitresses were wearing formal attire. There was live music up front, the kind you would expect to hear while on a gondola ride or in a French movie. Marie looked around, noticing how much business the place got. It was a decent amount. Enough for a good majority of the tables to be occupied, but not enough to where it was completely packed.

But as Marie looked around, she quickly discovered something. She and Double D were the _youngest _people in there. Everyone else were in their 30s and 40s, with many of them being married. '…. So this is my first date, huh?' She thought, glancing back down at her menu. Everything on there sounded so exotic. Carbonara, Rigatoni con la Pajata, Cappon Magro, Carne Pizzaiola, the list went on. She never even heard of some of these dishes.

It was then that their waiter approached there table. He was a older man, looking to be in his mid 50s with short dark brown hair, which was combed back. He had on what every other employee wore. Dress shirt, dress pants, tie, dress shoes, and an apron. "Welcome to Antonucci's. My name is Danny, and I will be be your server for this evening," he began politely, as he grabbed a couple of glasses of ice water from his cart and placed them in front of them. "Would you two like anything to drink?" *_**Sorry... Couldn't Resist.***_

Double D smiled and nodded. "Yes. I would like an ice tea if you serve it."

Danny nodded, then turned to the Marie. "And would the young lady like anything?"

"I guess an ice tea sounds good, too," she replied, not really caring what she had to drink.

"Alright, two ice teas," Danny read back to them. After writing it down in his notepad, he looked back up. "And would you two like a little more time to go over our menu?" Double D and Marie looked at each other, and nodded both their heads. "Okay," he replied happily. "Your drinks will be ready in a few minutes." With that, Danny left towards the kitchen.

After going over the menu for a second time, Double D spoke. "I was thinking of getting the Carne Pizzaiola on rice," he said, putting his menu on the table. "Never tried it before, but from its description, it sounds quite appetizing."

"... I've never even heard of most of these dishes," Marie sighed, as she rubbed his neck. But, after returning to a dish that sounded good, she made her decision. "I guess I'll have the..." She took a second to read it a couple times, as to pronounce it properly. "_Pastitsio _with lamb."

After going back and reading about it, Double D nodded. "That does sound good." And as if on cue, in walked Danny with his and Marie's ice teas.

"Here you two go," he said, placing their ice teas in front of them. Pulling out his notepad again, he looked at Double D. "So, do you two need more time to order?"

Double D shook his head. "No. I'd like the Carne Pizzaiola on rice, and she would like the Pastitsiowith lamb."

Danny jotted down the two orders, and smiled. "Excellent choices. Your orders will be ready in 15-20 minutes. Is that alright with you?" Double D and Marie looked at one another again, and when he saw Marie nod her head, Double D did as well. "Alright. So you'll have the Carne Pizzaiola on rice and she'll have the Pastitsiowith lamb, correct?" Again, Double D nodded. "Excellent, excellent. I'll pass this on, and bring it to you when it's done." And with that, Danny went back into the kitchen.

Now that they had some time to kill, Double D thought this would be the perfect time to actually talk with Marie. He cleared his throat, and began. "May I ask you something Marie?" She nodded. "Is something the matter? You've been surprisingly quiet ever since we got here... If there is, you can tell me."

Marie looked down to one side and sighed. "... Well... I guess I'm just feeling a little uneasy, is all." Double D raised a curious eyebrow. "I mean... I'm just not used to being taken to places like this. So formal and classy, serving exotic foods that I never even heard of. Plus..." Marie looked around. "The fact that we're the youngest ones here makes me feel... I don't know..."

"Singled out?" Double D finished, with it sounding more like an answer than a question.

"Yeah, exactly," she agreed. "I mean, don't get me wrong. Given the choice between coming here as opposed to some ordinary dinner, I'd choose this place every time... But, I've never really been anywhere this fancy before. And while I am enjoying it so far, I can't help but feel... I don't know... Out of placed, or something." After she said that, she took a drink of her ice tea. A few seconds after that, she looked back at Double D. "Can I ask _you_ something?"

"Of course."

"Why are you so polite?" The question earned a confused look from the boy, so Marie explained further. "I mean, I've never met a boy as polite as you before. Opening car doors, offering your arm to walk me places... People don't really do that stuff anymore."

"Does it bother you?" Double D asked.

"Well... Not really," she mumbled, looking down to one side again. "I just find it a little... Odd, is all."

Marie looked back up when she heard Double D chuckle. "Well, you could thank my mother for that. Ever since I could remember, she has been drilling me for when I got out into the real world. And one of her most important rules were: _Always be courteous, well-mannered, and a gentleman, no matter the situation._ Before her job got so demanding that she was ever rarely home, she would train me day in and day out. Taught me how to speak properly and clearly, even at an early age. How to walk properly, how to be diligent about my studies... And how to treat the opposite sex."

Marie raised an eyebrow, and tried to suppress a giggle. "So do you run away from all the girls, or just me?"

"Well, to be honest," he answered, a small grin plastered to his face, "Mother never covered how to handle a situation like you or your sisters with me... So I winged it, so to speak." Double D took a sip from his ice tea, and took a deep breath. "Can I ask you something personal?" She hesitated at first because of how serious, yet soft his voice sounded. Slowly, she nodded. "Why did you kiss me that night?" Marie could see a very faint hue a pink form on Double D's cheeks after he asked that. "In all these years, never once have you kissed me in the fashion you did that night. Usually your kisses are scattered and misplaced. But that night... That night your kiss was as a kiss should be... Why?"

"..." Marie wasn't expecting him to ask her THAT question. Because she knew a simple "I don't know" answer wasn't going to satisfy him, nor would it sound convincing coming from her. "Well... I guess I just really wanted to know what a real kiss felt like." She rubbed the back of her neck, thinking on how to follow that up. "I mean... I've always liked kissing you and all. But after a while, I really wanted to experience an actual kiss." She could feel her face warming up again. "... Was it your first?" She asked, sounding a little nervous.

Double D nodded. "Indeed, it was," he answered, sounding surprisingly casual as he did so. Marie looked at him, surprised by the tone in his voice.

"... Are you okay with me stealing your first real kiss?"

Double D took a second to think about it before answering. "Well, to be honest, I was pretty shook up after it happened. And quite frankly, the fact that it actually happened kept me up most of the night..." He took another drink from his ice tea. "But I ended up coming to peace with it. And while if I had proper control over my body at the time, I would've done something to prevent it, I also came to peace with the fact that I found the kiss rather enjoyable." Marie looked at him with round eyes, shocked that she heard what she did. "That is part of the reason I've asked you out tonight. When you kissed me, I was surprised to find I actually enjoyed it. Even finding myself welcoming it," he continued, with his light blush darkening ever so slightly. "After that, and the kiss you gave me at school... And after I spent a good amount of time thinking about it, I decided the best way to know for certain was to ask you out."

"..." Again, for the second time that night, Marie found herself unable to talk after hearing Double D's answer. It was a simple "Yes or No" question, just like before. But again, Double D wouldn't be happy giving her such a simple answer. Instead, he went and explained far more than what she was expecting. "... Oh." That was all Marie could bring herself to say. She knew she was blushing like crazy, because she could swear her face was burning up. But, thanks to her long hair, a large portion of her face was concealed from Double D's view. "Double D... I-!"

"Sorry if your orders took a little longer than expected..." Double D and Marie turned when they heard Danny. He was walking towards them from out of the kitchen, pushing a cart with two covered dished. "Orders got backed up. I apologize if we made you wait too long."

"No, not at all." Double D was surprised it had already been 20 minutes already. "I didn't even realize it has been more than 20 minutes."

"Well, I apologize for the delay, nevertheless." With that said, Danny grabbed the two plates, and placed them in front of Double D and Marie. "For the gentleman, we have the Carne Pizzaiola on rice." He pulled off the lid, which was immediately followed by a big puff of steam. When the steam cleared, however, what was revealed was a plate of a mixture of beef, peppers, tomato, onions, sauteed in olive oil, served over rice. "And for the beautiful lady," he continued, turning to Marie, "we have the Pastitsio with lamb." He took off the lid to her plate, and revealed a wonderful smelling concoction of bucatini pasta, grated cheese, diced lamp and tomato sauce. "Is there anything else I can get you?" Double D shook his head. Danny looked to Marie, and she shook her head as well. He smiled. "Well, if you need anything else, just let me know." When he got an approving nod from both the teens, he nodded, grabbed his cart, and went to another nearby table, leaving Double D and Marie to enjoy their meal.

_**10 Minutes Later**_

Marie had to admit. Even though she wasn't used to this kind of surrounding, she could definitely get use to the food. Everything was all so well done. It seemed like such a simple dish, but turned out to be much better than she anticipated. The lamb was really tender, the pasta was fully cooked, and the cheese and tomato sauce covering it was noticeably fresher than anything you can buy in a store.

As the meal continued, the two continued to talk. "Hey Marie..." Marie's deep thought's were interrupted again when she heard Double D's voice. She was finishing up the last of her Pastitsio when she looked up to him. He himself was finishing up the last of his meal, as well. "There's something I want to know."

"What?"

"What were you going to say before our meals arrived?" Remembering what he was referring to, Marie hesitated to answer, and simply looked down. "You looked as if you had something important to say," he added, finishing the last of his ice tea.

"..." Marie kept quite at first. What she was going to say before Danny interrupted was something rather personal, and she, at the time, thought it was a little embarrassing for a Kanker to say. So, seeing as how she wasn't feeling up to saying it right then, she lied. "I was just going to say I was really enjoying the date," she answered with a small smile. It sounded legit enough for Marie. "That was it."

Double D wasn't buying it. He was pretty good at reading peoples' body language. When she said that, she refused to make direct eye contact with him. He also noticed that before answering, she took too long of pause before telling him, indicating she had to think about it. But, nevertheless, Double D smiled and nod. "Well, I'm glad to hear that." Marie was nervous, and Double D knew it. Ever since he picked her up at her trailer, she wasn't acting like her normal self. She hadn't pushing herself on him, hadn't flirting with him in any fashion, and hadn't called him by any of the hundreds of nicknames she have given him over the years. It was as if the Marie he knew growing up was replaced with a much milder look-a-like. But, putting that aside, Double D and Marie finished the rest of their meals in silent.

After they both finished their plates, Double D wiped his mouth off with his napkin. "Well, that was quite delicious," he began awkwardly, as he stood up from the table. "Would you like some dessert?"

Marie smiled and shook her head. "No thanks," she replied softly, getting up herself. "Is it okay if I go ahead and start the car?"

"Why, of course." Double D reached into his pocket, pulled out his keys, and handed them to Marie. "I might be a while. I also have to use the bathroom." Marie nodded, before turning and exiting the restaurant.

_**5 Minutes Later**_

As Double D left Antonucci's and headed across the parking lot, he was pleasantly surprised by how well his date with Marie actually went. It wasn't like he was expecting it to be bad or anything, mind you. But all in all, Double D could honestly say he enjoyed himself far more than he thought he would. But, as his car came into view, he was curious when he saw Marie standing outside it, even though his car was running. "Is something wrong, Marie?" He asked.

But when he got close enough, Double D was caught off guard by what happened next. Before he knew it, Marie had closed the gap between them and caught him in a tight embrace, burying her face in his chest. "M-Marie?" Double D wasn't expecting this. When Marie showed no signs of letting go, his heart-rate started to pick up in speed. "M-Marie," he tried again, sounding a little panicked. "Wh-what are you-!"

"Thank you." Those words stopped Double D in mid-sentence. Her voice was very quiet, almost as if she whispered it, but he heard it as clear as day. As the embrace continued, he looked down and came face to face with Marie. It was there that Double D saw Marie looking back at him, with a gentle smile on her face. "Thank you... For this, I mean. This was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me," she continued, tightening her hold on his waist. "And... I'm sorry... For everything I've done to you..."

"..." Double D couldn't believe what he had just heard. Marie Kanker had just apologized to him. "I-it's qu-quite alright, M-Marie-!" All of a sudden, Double D witnessed yet another first.

Marie Kanker started to cry.

Double D stared awe-struck as he watched tears slowly begin to seep from Marie's deep blue eyes. "No it isn't," Marie cried, sounding angry. "I can never be good enough for you, Double D! I'm a horrible person! I've bullied you! Harassed you! Took pleasure in scaring you! You should HATE me for what I've done to you!" Double D couldn't believing what he was hearing or seeing. Never in a million years did he imagine seeing Marie in such a state. But here she was, holding onto him as if her life depended on it, crying into his chest. "But no," she continued, as even more tears began to fall from her closed eyes, "you go and say all those stupid things about me! About how you think I'm beautiful! About how you think I'm worth getting to know! How could you say that to the one person who took so much pleasure in making your life miserable?! How?! How could you forgive someone like that so easily?! I-! I-!" Marie was reaching her limit. So many emotions were winding and churning inside her, it was almost too much for her to bare. "How could you NOT hate me for any of that?!"

"..." Double D just stood there as Marie hugged him and continued to cry into his shirt. He had no idea that this date had such a strong effect on Marie. But as he watched her cry and cling onto him, he slowly started to see just how much Marie cared for him. Marie was a tough girl. One of the toughest Double D has ever met, as a matter of fact. To see her in such an emotional state was something Double D never thought was even possible. But as he started to feel Marie's tears begin to soak through his shirt, it only reminded him that this was all too real.

"M-Marie," he began, slowly bringing his arms to Marie's shoulders. "It's okay... I don't hate-!"

"Why not?" Marie's voice was a little quieter now, but that didn't mean she was any less distraught about this. "J-just tell me... Why not? Wh-what have I done to deserve th-this treatment? I-I shouldn't deserve to g-get treated as nice as y-you treat me... C-can you really forgive me for all that?"

Double D could hear how hurt Marie actually was, how much she hated herself for what she did back in the day. He could tell that she had been thinking about this the whole date, which was probably why she wasn't acting like her usual self. It was then that Double D discovered why Marie was so torn up... She was a bully, who over time, fell in love with the her prey. But even though Double D told her he forgave her for all those years of torment, he soon realized it was much more than that. Marie couldn't forgive _**herself**_. No matter how many times he told her all was forgiven, it still wouldn't change how she felt about herself. For Marie, this date was her only shot at being with him, and the stress of the thought of screwing it up must have been plaguing her mind since he asked her out.

It was there and then Double D knew what he had to do... He thought this date would determine how he felt about Marie. But, as he watched the girl before him hold him and cry for him, he realized that now there was only one true way to know for certain.

It was the moment of truth.

"Marie..." Double D spoke softly. Marie heard him, and hesitantly looked up from his now tear soaked shirt. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her once brushed hair was back to its normal volume; messy as hell. She was biting down on her bottom lip, in an attempt to keep herself crying. "You aren't a horrible person... A horrible person wouldn't be crying, begging for forgiveness for something that has already been forgiven. I forgave you the moment I asked you out." Slowly, Marie's tears started to flow again... But not from pain or sorrow. "I didn't ask you out because I had doubts about your feelings for me, because the first time you kissed me on the lips told me how sincere you were about them. I asked you out because I wanted to know how I truly felt about you..." Marie looked up at his with round, tear-filled hopeful eyes. "And from what I've just saw, I think there's only one way to know for certain..."

Slowly, Double D started to embrace Marie, almost as tightly as she was embracing him. He threw his head back, to rid himself of the few strands of hair that were dangling in front of his face. Then, much to Marie's shock, she started to notice Double D slowly closing the distance between their faces. Inch by inch, his face neared towards hers, without a shred of doubt in his eyes. Marie's heart began to race out of control and her knees felt as if they were about to give out any second.

Slowly, Double D's and Marie's eyes drifted shut as their lips met one another in a firm, yet gentle kiss.

As if someone had flipped a switch inside Marie, the girl, upon feeling the warmth of Double D's lips press against hers, refused to shed another sad tear. Because as she felt the boy's lips slowly, but steadily increase the pressure on her mouth, she realized that he wasn't planning on letting up anytime soon. And, while she knew this wasn't going to last forever, she knew she had to enjoy it for however long it was going to. So, deciding not to hold back, Marie wrapped her arms around Double D's neck, pulling him even further into the kiss.

Double D finally had his answer.

The kiss continued on for a good 30 seconds before they broke for air. But the break didn't last long, for as Marie was about to say something, Double D once again closed the gap between them and connected for a second kiss. The girl was plunged into a world of warm bliss, as she felt the force behind the second kiss quickly equaling the force of the first. Their bodies pressed together. Their grips on the other refusing to falter. Nothing else in the whole world mattered but what was happening right there and then. This was what Marie has been waiting for for so long... And this was the answer to his question that Double D wanted answered. Slowly, the two parted for the second time. Their breathing was heavy, almost as if they had just ran a marathon. Snow was gathering atop their heads and clothes, but went completely unacknowledged.

Marie, upon seeing Double D's bright, inviting smile and rosy red cheeks, gently placed her head on his shoulder, so her mouth was right next to his ear. "... Wh-what about th-the others..?" She whispered, with a hint of concern in her voice.

"I'll break it to them tomorrow..." His voice was rugged, a result from him trying to catch his breath. "I have my answer now, and that's all that really matters."

"... Am I your girlfriend now?" She asked.

"Only if you promise to stop feeling bad about yourself, and start acting like the Marie I grew up running from."

Marie tilted her head, planting a kiss right alongside Double D's collarbone. "Deal... And by the way..." She the moved her head, so her mouth weren't even a centimeter from his ear. "If you tell ANYONE I cried like that, you're getting a black eye. Understood?" That only aroused a chuckle from the boy, who answered by merely rubbing her back and nodding his head.

'Whatever you say, Marie...'

_**To Be Continued...**_

Okay, let me just start off by telling you writing this masterpiece of a chapter was one of the most challenging things I have ever wrote in all my years of writing for FF. No bull! I had to write, re-write, and re-write my re-writes to get this piece of FF gold where I wanted it. There was a point where I thought I wasn't even going to include the whole emotional breakdown scene. I was planning on having this end with Double D taking Marie home, and kissing her before he left, signifying he wanted to be with her... But _**NOOOOOOOO!**_ I love you guys too damn much to end a chapter of like this come to a simple peck on the lips and split scene. No. I wanted the scene where Double D and Marie kiss to be emotionally epic... Thus, this chapter. YOU MAY ALL PRAISE ME, NOW! But seriously, I spent a solid 4 days tweaking and adjusting this chapter into what it is now. So many scenes changed around, so many things that needed to be included, etc. I tell ya, this chapter left me drained. So, I'm gonna take another break... Don't hyperventilate, folks. Not like my 2 years break like last time. Maybe a week or two. Just so I can relax and let my brain heal from the shear EPICNESS of this chapter... Read and review, folk! And tell me if you see any mistakes! XD


	9. Adjusting

Pairing: Edd/Marie, and more as the story continues.

Rating: T

Author's Notes: Well, here I am, all my loyal readers. Mr. Alaska, back from his mental vacation. Boy, I needed it too from that epic thing I called chapter 8... My head _**still**_ hurts a little. Don't worry, I'll get over it. But, I have to be straight with all you readers out there. I might not be able to update as often as I'd like to. As I said in the previous chapter, I'm a sub-custodian for my school district with my hours being from 3:30pm to midnight... Yeah, it's rough. So because of that, I fear my updates will be farther apart. But don't any of you worry. I have no intention on going on Hiatus again any time soon. At most, the next update should be up in four weeks, one month max. I know, still a hell'a long wait. But hey, what can I say? Life happens. But enough of that depressing stuff, and lets get back to what y'all have been waiting to see. Double D and Marie are now boyfriend and girlfriend... AWESOME! But wait, there is still one thing that needs to get done. Telling Ed and Eddy. *Dramatic Music* How will they react to the news? Well, how about we find out, huh?

_**Side Note: I'll try to get more dialog from the others in the next chapter. **_

Chapter 9: Adjusting

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! _BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEE-! SLAM!_

As Double D was brought back into the realm of consciousness by the irritating blare of his alarm clock, he felt an almost overpowering urge to go back to sleep... Which was a first for him, seeing as how he was firmly against the idea of sleeping in, especially on a school day. Instead of his normal, almost instinctive way of getting up immediately after hearing his alarm, he instead awoke with a strong urge to reach out and unplug the clock all together, as if waking up was some sort of huge inconvenience to him. But Double D reluctantly got out of bed, let out a long drawn out yawn, stretched, and began to make his bed, slowly getting back into the normal swing of things. But as he began to straighten out his sheets, the memories of the previous night began to flood into his mind.

He kissed Marie Kanker.

Slowly but steadily, a warm sensation began to spread across Double D's face. Double D stopped making his bed and sat down, just as he slowly started to recall the events that happened the night before.

Last night with Marie was the most emotional experience in Double D's life, by far. The date, the crying for forgiveness, the emotions, and finally, the kiss. A small, gap-toothed grin soon appeared on his face. He wasn't going to bother denying it. When he kissed Marie, he enjoyed every moment of it. Even then, as Double D sat on his bed the morning after, he was still trying to wrap his head around what had actually happened. It almost felt like it was all some sort of dream. But Double D knew better. He knew it really happened, and he was glad it did.

As he got up and started to rummage through his closet, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. '…. Me and Marie Kanker, boyfriend and girlfriend,' he thought, picking out his usual attire. 'Mere days ago, the very thought of her made me feel uncomfortable... But now here I am, calling her my girlfriend...' His thoughts began to drift off as he made his way towards his bathroom.

He wasn't going to mislead himself. Today was going to be a _looooooong _day, and he knew that. He was going to have to break it to Ed and Eddy that Marie was now his girlfriend. Double D knew neither Ed or Eddy would understand. He knew they were going to shun him again, be ridiculed from Kevin, and he knew he would have to deal with silent, jealous loathing directed at Marie from Sarah. He wasn't looking forward to any of it, but he knew it was ultimately inevitable.

At least Rolf and Nazz were gonna be on his side.

_**Five Minutes Later**_

Double D always felt better ofter he showered. He didn't know why. Be it his compulsive need to be clean, or that showers tended to feel better in the mornings. He didn't know, but he didn't care. All he knew was that after the shower, he felt like he was a little more prepared to face the day ahead of him. He made his way downstairs, not surprised to discover his parents were already gone. Since both of his parents had well paying and demanding jobs, he couldn't really fault them. He made that realization when he was 12, and made peace with that sad fact. He entered the kitchen, opened his fridge, and pulled out an apple. When he closed the door, however, he noticed there was a sticky note near the handle. It read;

_Dear Eddward,_

_Father would like you to shovel the driveway when you get home today. There is some road salt in the garage if you need it afterwords. Also, I would like you to wash the dishes when you get the chance. Father and I might be getting home earlier today._

_Love, Mother & Father_

Double D sighed as he placed the sticky note back on the fridge handle. He took a bite of his apple, and looked up at the clock. 7:10am. He had a solid half hour until school started. And, seeing as how Ed or Eddy weren't there, Double D thought he might as well get an early head start. Slinging his backpack over one shoulder, Double D quickly finished his apple, and tossed the core into the trash. When he stepped outside, he was relieved that it didn't snow nearly as much as it did near Lemon Brook. Sure, about a half inch of snow did hit Peach Creek, but that wasn't worth complaining about. He walked over to his car and started it, before he reached into the back seat to grab his window brush.

As he swept the thin blanket of snow off his car, he took that time to think about how exactly he was going to give Ed and Eddy the news. He wasn't looking forward to it, not in the least. But, he knew it had to be done. Ed and Eddy are his best friends. He wasn't going to lie or hide the fact that he and Marie are together because **1)** Ed and Eddy deserved to know the truth, whether they wanted to hear it or not, and** 2)** It wasn't fair to Marie. He wasn't going to pretend what happened last night _didn't_. He made it clear he wanted Marie as his girlfriend when they shared that kiss. And if that meant he had to endure his friends' objections, teasing or ridicule...

So be it.

Stepping back into his car, he took a second to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything. His backpack was in the seat next to him, his cellphone was in his coat pocket, and his wallet was in his back pocket. All three essential things Double D never left without. But even though he had all three, he felt like he was still forgetting something. 'Hmmmmmmmmm...' It bugged him. But after a minute of thinking, he couldn't for the life of him think of what it was. So putting the nagging feeling aside, he pulled out of his driveway, and started towards school.

After last night, it seemed like his entire life had been flipped upside down. As he made his way down the highway, he came to that very sobering realization. Everything was going to be different. Double D had a _girlfriend_. Marie Kanker was now his _girlfriend_. The more he thought about it, the more it made him chuckle. 'Rolf and Nazz are going to have a field-day when this gets out,' he told himself, taking a turn. But while the thought brought a smile to his face, it also brought a feeling of uneasiness.

He was now in a romantic relationship. His first romantic relationship, as a matter of fact. The concept both brought a sense of maturing and accomplishment, and a sense of nearly overwhelming anxiety. Double D wasn't very experienced in that category of relationships. He had only _friends_ up until now. The only exception would've been his crush on Nazz, but it never went any further than a harmless crush. But Marie wasn't _just_ a friend, and she wasn't _just_ a crush. She was his girlfriend now... That was a whole different level all together. But, in a way, he was happy about this whole situation. Sure, everything wasn't 100% perfect. But with everything that has been said and done, the fact that he can honestly say he had an official girlfriend was a positive, no matter how you looked at things.

But his thoughts were suddenly halted when the sobering sight of the high school came into his line of vision. Almost instantaneously, a bead of sweat slowly drifted down the side of his face. Truth be told, he wasn't nervous about Ed, Eddy, or the others. He knew what they'll have to say. As he said before, he was accustomed to them.

It was the idea of seeing Marie again that had him nervous.

As he pulled into the parking lot, he thought back to the end of their date. Double D drove Marie back to her home in awkward silence, both a little hesitant to look at the other. And, when Double D thought about it, he could see why. She must have been embarrassed that he saw her in such an _uncharacteristic _state. Marie was a tough girl, and had worked her entire life to make sure everyone else knew that. So crying in front of Double D, regardless of how emotionally stressful the situation was, surely must have been a blow to her ego... Plus, it was apparent that the awkwardness of actually being in a official relationship with someone was also taking a toll on her, just as much as him. But by the end of the night, Marie gave him a firm kiss on the cheek, thanked him for the date, winked, and said she'd see him the next day before making her way into the trailer.

"_Can't wait to see you tomorrow, Dreamboat... I hope everyone at school is ready for a show." _Those were her last words before entering her trailer, as a matter of fact. It both intrigued him, and made him nervous.

As he pulled into his usual parking space, he took a second to regain his composure. 'Well... This is it,' he thought, taking a few deep breaths. 'The first day of being in a relationship with Marie Kanker... I can do this... Ed and Eddy won't understand, but they'll eventually get over it... Right?' Then a horrifying thought came to mind. What if they _**don't **_get over it? Could him being in this relationship really jeopardize him lifetime friendship with Ed and Eddy? But with a flustered frown, he violently shook his head, as if to dislodge the idea from his head. 'Parish the thought,' he told himself, turning off his car. 'True. They will object to this situation with me and Marie, but surely they wouldn't down-right _**abandon **_our friendship.'

Stepping out of his car, he took a second to look around. As usual, the parking lot was occupied with mainly the teachers' cars. It was sometimes disheartening to see that very few students took the time to arrive early. School was going to be the best years of their lives. After this, adulthood and all its hardships were going to crash down on them. Jobs, moving out, paying bills, full-time jobs, etc. High school was their last taste of freedom before they ventured out on their own...

Then again, he was classified a "Nerd" by most of the school, so maybe it was just him who saw it like that. Nevertheless, Double D sighed and locked his car doors.

But when he took another glance at the parking lot, he noticed Eddy's van was parked a few spaces away from his. So, taking a deep breath, he practically forced himself towards the front doors of the school. 'Maybe things won't be too bad,' he told himself as he pushed open the doors to the school. 'Sure, maybe they'll distance themselves from me like last time... But maybe that will be all they do.' He forced an uncertain smile as he made his way down the halls, heading towards the cafeteria. 'We've been best friends forever. They'll have objections, but they'll surely come to accept it after some time. They have to.'

Taking another deep breath, he walked into the cafeteria.

As he expected/feared, the only ones occupying the cafeteria at this time of the morning were ALL the kids from the cal-de-sac. Kevin, Rolf and Jonny were sitting together, going over their homework from the night before. Nazz, Sarah and Jimmy were sitting at the tables near the lunch line, talking about cheer leading, as usual. And Ed and Eddy sat in the back as usual, arguing about something stupid and trivial, Double D expected.

Looking around, Double D let out a long, miserable sigh. He needed to tell them, and as much as he hated it, he knew he needed to tell them now. He also had a very good idea on how it would unfold. After telling them the news, Ed and Eddy would undoubtedly blurt it out in their overly-dramatic fashion, informing everyone within a one-mile radius in the process of doing so. Following the outburst, the others would surely swarm him and join in. Rolf and Nazz would congratulate him, Kevin and Jonny would tease and joke at his suspense, and Sarah would run off crying with Jimmy following close behind.

He hated that his personal life would ultimately be made public before the day way done. It was hard enough dealing with these changes without it being made a public spectacle for everyone to see. But that's what happens when you live in a small town like Peach Creek. Everyone knows who everyone is. And therefore, everyone is interested in everything that happens to _ANYONE_.

Taking a few seconds to work up the courage to continue, Double D took yet another deep breath and made his way across the cafeteria. "Good morning gentlemen," Double D announced, managing to sound more cheerful then he really was. Ed and Eddy turned from their conversation. Double D gave them a confused look when he noticed both Ed and Eddy had annoyed expressions on their faces. "Ummmm... Is everything alright, fellows?" _Surely they don't already know, _he thought, nearing their table.

Eddy was the first to speak up. "Where were you last night, Sockhead?" He began, with his arms across his chest. "Me and Lumpy needed help with our homework, but you weren't home. We even went to the mall to see if you were working. But you weren't there, either. I tried calling you, but you had your phone turned off. Where were y-!"

SMACK!

Ed and Eddy jumped back a little bit when from out of nowhere, Double D smacked his forehead on the table, creating a echoing thud that caused everyone in the cafeteria to turn in the Ed's direction. 'Blast it! I forgot to do last night's homework,' Double D cried in his head. 'This can't be happening! My flawless record of completing assignments on time! Ruined! Destroyed!' Ed and Eddy looked at one another as Double D sat down and buried his face in his arms. 'I can't believe I forgot...'

But, lifting his head to massage the bridge of his nose, he let out a flustered sigh. Because once he thought about it, he had an actually reasonable excuse for forgetting. He was preoccupied with his date with Marie. He had _**a lot **_on his mind. In fact, the minute he got home that night, he went directly to his bed, and was asleep inside 15 minutes... Not that it made him feel any better about forgetting.

Letting out a low groan of despair, Double D sat back up, straightening out his wrinkled clothes. "Sorry gentlemen," he began in an even voice, "but it appears I forgot to complete my assignment, as well." He noticed Ed and Eddy exchanged looks when they heard that. Clearly, they were both annoyed. But Double D could also make out that they were confused, as well.

"But Double D," Ed jumped in, scratching his head, "you never didn't do homework. Never ever." To be honest, Double D was somewhat happy Ed hadn't changed as much as he and Eddy. While he wished Ed would start applying himself more often than he has been, Double D grew accustomed to Ed's dumb, innocent and simple thought process. "And it was math... Your favorite-est subject." Ed raised one end of his unibrow, and scratched his non-existing chin. And while his attention span wasn't much better from when they were children, Double D had to admit Ed was slightly sharper than before... Most likely a result from being around a human analyzer like himself for all those years.

"I didn't _not _do it on purpose, Ed," he reminded him, dully. "I simply forgot."

"Well dammit," Eddy growled, sounding irritated. "We were hoping we could get some answers from you, Sockhead. Me and Ed only managed to answer half of them, and I'm not even sure if most of them are correct." He then narrowed his eyes at the unfinished assignment in front of him, as if it was to blame. That continued for a few seconds before Eddy remembered his initial question. He swung his head up and sent a annoyed/curious look towards Double D. "So where were you last night?"

"..." Double D didn't answer immediately. He could feel a cold sweat slowly started to form over his brow, and he could feel his legs begin to buckle. He silently cursed himself for being so timid, despite mentally psyching himself up for that very same reason. Loosening his tie ever so slightly, he took in a few shallow breaths, earning even more suspicious looks from his friends. He swallowed hard as he began to explain. "... W-well... I was out somewhere..." Mentally, Double D smacked himself for the weak and unspecific response.

"Well gee wiz, Sherlock. No shit," Eddy replied rudely, rolling his eyes. "The fact your car wasn't in the driveway was a pretty big giveaway you were _out_. But where did you go _out_ to?"

"He already told us, Eddy," Ed answered with his usual dumb grin. "He said he went _somewhere_. Do you have corn in your ears again?"

"Shut up, Ed." Eddy sighed. "I know he said _somewhere_. But _somewhere _could be _**anywhere**_. I want specifics."

"But what if Double D doesn't wanna tell us?"

"Nah. That's just st-!" Eddy was about to respond when he decided to take a few seconds to entertain the idea. When he thought about it, he noticed Double D _did_ sound nervous... Well, too nervous for wherever he was to have been insignificant. Eddy also noticed Double D's nervous habits. Sweating, looking around the room in a frantic manner, and fiddling with his thumbs. _He IS hiding something,_ Eddy thought, narrowing his eyes at the now guilty looking Double D, who was scratching the back of his neck. Now 100% percent positive Double D was hiding something from them, Eddy folded his arms across his chest. "Okay Sockhead, spill it," he demanded. "Where could you have possibly gone that was so important, you won't tell you best friends?"

Double D looked from Eddy to Ed, only to discover Ed had a hurt expression on his face. "Is it so, Double D?" Ed asked, his eyes all big and watery, with his lower lip protruding outwards. "Don't you trust us anymore?"

"Parish the thought," Double D answered quickly, sounding a little offended. "Of course I trust you two. It's just that... Well..." Double D could feel his cheeks warming up. "Well, you see... It's... It's rather personal... And, well... I was afraid to tell you because... I, ummm... Because I knew neither of you would understand..." Double D's voice was shaky, and he was struggling to speak at a consistent volume. Hearing this, Ed and Eddy exchanged worried looks. Now, instead of being annoyed and confused, both Ed and Eddy now felt somewhat scared of what Double D had to say. "I-I mean... Well... I-!" But when Double D tried it again, he was interrupted by the vibration on his cellphone. Confused, he pulled out and discovered he got a text message from an unknown caller. He flipped his cellphone open and read it.

**Since you're having trouble telling them your way, how about I help you out by trying it my way? Look behind you. **

Curious, Double D slowly turned his head halfway around... And saw that, leaning against the entrance of the cafeteria stood Marie Kanker, with her cellphone out and a mischievous smirk on her face. She was wearing her usual attire, except that her coat was now wrapped around her waist. When the two made eye contact, Marie winked at him and stood up straight. '…...' Double D's mind temporarily went blank. There he was, trying to tell his friends of the news about him and Marie, when Marie _herself _appeared. Marie than shoved her cellphone into her pocket, and slowly started making her way towards the Eds' table. And while he was glad to see her, he was also horrified because **1) **His friends were right there, and he wanted to be the one to let them know of what was happening between him and Marie, **2) **From the look on her face, he knew she was about to do something drastic and **3) **Everyone was watching.

Looking around Double D, Eddy and Ed finally saw Marie heading their way. "Oh great," Eddy sighed, as he and Ed stood up. "So how do you wanna do this? Want me and Ed to block while you run? Or are you gonna try and be _"Diplomatic" _with her, as always?" He waited for a response from Double D. But as the Kanker grew closer, Eddy received no answer. He looked at Double D, who just sat there, watching as Marie slowly made her across the cafeteria, swaying her hips back and forth as she walked.

Completely ignoring Eddy's question and letting out a tired sigh, Double D stood up. 'Well, so much for _ME_ telling them,' he thought, scratching the back of his neck. He looked around, noticing that pretty much everyone in the cafeteria was looking in their direction. 'And, of course, I have a captive audience... Splendid.' But, in all honesty, he couldn't say he didn't see this coming. Marie did say she was going to start acting like her usual self, after all...

'…. What the heck is he doing?' Eddy thought, watching as Double D made no effort to run from, or even try to reason with the approaching Kanker. His and Ed's confusion only increased when they noticed Double D's face. Instead of showing his usual signs of nervousness or down-right terror towards the blue-haired girl, they saw him with a small, but noticeable grin, and a faint shade of pink on his cheeks. 'What the hell...?'

When Marie came within ten feet of Double D, he smile, chuckled nervously, and finally spoke."... G-good morning, Marie," Double D began, sounding a little quiet but surprisingly casual at the same time. _Stupid stutter! _Looking from his friends and Marie, Double D couldn't help but feel a little trapped. Eddy was eying him intensely, Ed was looking at him with a blank stare, and Marie had on her trademark devilish grin. As she slowly started closing the distance between them, Double D started getting that all too familiar feeling on nervousness he got whenever he was around Marie. Except this time, the instinct that always told him to run wasn't present."Ummm... I was just... Ah... I mea-!"

But suddenly, Double D got cut off by Marie who, in a matter of seconds, reached out, grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulled him down to her level and firmly pressed her lips against his, right in front of Ed, Eddy and the rest of the cal-de-sac residents.

At first, Double D's body went stiffened from both the shear suddenness of the kiss, and the fact that he could practically feel every eye in that room was now glued on him and Marie. He felt an overwhelming sense of embarrassment and enjoyment wash over him as Marie continued to pull him closer into the kiss, clearly showing that she wasn't shy about kissing him in front of everyone they knew. Sure, he kissed her last night on his own free will, and enjoyed it. But that was in the privacy of a vacant parking lot. Now they were in the middle of a high school cafeteria, surrounded by his friends. So once again, the shear awkwardness/pleasure Marie's kiss brought had pretty much the same effect it did the first two times she kissed him on the lips...

He was powerless.

But, the kiss was short. After about ten seconds of not getting anything from the boy, Marie slowly pulled away with a proud mile-long grin. She giggled at Double D's dumbfounded/embarrassed reaction when he finally realized the kiss had ended. "Good morning, _boyfriend_," Marie finally spoke, twirling Double D's tie around his finger, using a tone of false coyness. "Did you miss me?" Double D opened his mouth and tried to speak, but his brain couldn't formulate the words he wanted...

Which only made Marie smile triumphantly.

Finally recovering from the initial shock, Double D sent Marie a tired look, which was kinda funny when coupled with his beat-red face. "... Did it have to be right here, in front of _everyone_?"

"What can I say?" Marie asked nonchalantly, as if she hadn't done anything. "A girl needs to mark her territory, doesn't she? Wouldn't want anyone thinking you were a single man, right?"

"... Double D...?" Hearing his name being used, Double D slowly turned his head to see that Eddy was staring at him with a very annoyed look. "Would you mind telling us what the _**hell**_ is going on?" It was more of a demand than a question. Narrowing his eyes at Double D, Eddy folded his arms across his chest, and started tapping his finger against his forearm, impatiently.

_Here we go_, Double D thought, as he let out a long depressed sigh. He looked Eddy straight in the eyes, and took a deep breath. "Okay... Me and Marie," he began, speaking slowly but clearly, "are romantically involved with one another..." At first, neither Ed or Eddy said a word. They just stared at them, as did everyone else who heard what Double D said. Both seemed to be in a state of disbelief from what he had just said, as if the selection of words he just used were taboo, or something. So, he continued. "Look, I know you two aren't particularly fond of Marie or her sisters, but please try and under-!"

"... A relationship...?" Eddy interrupted, sounding angry for some reason. He wasn't yelling, mind you. But the bitterness in his voice more than made up for the lack of volume. "Sockhead, do you even hear yourself right now? This is _**Marie**_ _**Kanker**_ we're talking about here."

Double D sighed, realizing how this conversation was most likely going to end. Instead of responding to Eddy's rude question, he turned to Marie. "... Do you think you could wait for me in the library?"

At first, Marie raised an eyebrow to the request. She was a tough girl, and could handle someone saying bad things about her... But she realized he just wanted to talk to his friends alone, like he wanted to in the first place before she pulled her little stunt."... Sure thing," Marie answered, sounding a little uneasy. As she made her way to the doors, however, she was surprised to see most of the others were getting up and leaving too... Well, not so much getting up and leaving, but Rolf and Nazz herding everyone out. _Hmmm... I should remember to thank those two, _Marie thought, as she followed the others out the door.

Now with the cafeteria all to themselves, Eddy picked up from where he left off. "How did this happen?" He growled.

Double D sighed, hearing the aggravation in Eddy's tone. "I went on a date with Marie last night, Eddy," he began, speaking in a slow and steady voice. "That's why I wasn't home last night, and why my phone was turned off. And, by the end of the date, I found it was quite enjoyable... So now Marie's my girlfriend." He knew he was being too cut and dry about the details. But he felt he wasn't obligated to go too deep into what really happened... Not right now, anyway.

Eddy scowled. "Are you serious, man?" He asked, sounding to be in angry disbelief. "_Marie_ freaking _Kanker_? Have you forgotten what her and her sadistic sisters put us through?" Eddy shook his head in disgust. "How could you stomach idea of being in a _"romantically involved" _with her?"

Double D shot Eddy a stern look before replying. "I can _"stomach" _it because unlike you, I am capable of forgiving and forgetting," he answered, sounding a little annoyed, himself. "Please try to be reasonable, Eddy," he continued, almost with a pleading tone to his voice. "I understand how much you and Ed don't like Marie or her sisters. Believe me, I haven't forgotten all those years of running from them either... But things are different now."

Eddy frowned. "No shit things are _different_," he agreed angrily, nearly shouting it. "You're crushing on a _**Kanker!**_ Do you realize how disturbing and wrong that is? You're acting like a total idiot, and all over a girl who took pleasure in making our lives miserable! How can't you be so freaking smart and dumb at the same time?"

"Eddy, I'm sorry if you don't approve on my personal decisions. But they aren't _**YOUR**_ decisions to make." Now, Double D found himself getting angry at Eddy. "Look. You and Ed are my best friends... But Marie is my _**girlfriend **_now, whether you like it or not." Eddy was kinda taken back by how serious Double D sounded when he said that. "And that won't change just because you don't like it. You don't have to like Marie. But you need to accept that fact I intend to continue my relationship with her, with or without yours or Ed's approval."

Eddy sent a nasty glare at Double D when he said this. "So that's it, huh? You're choosing Marie over me and Ed?"

"You and Ed have absolutely _**nothing**_ to do with it," Double D nearly shouted. "I'm not _"choosing" _Marie over you or Ed. I don't _want _to choose between you two and Marie... But right now, you're making it to where I'm going to _have_ to choose, and I don't want it to come to that. I want to be friends with you two _and_ be free to pursue a relationship with Marie. Is that so wrong, Eddy?" Double D asked.

"It is wrong, Sockhead," Eddy pressed, getting a hurt look from Double D. "It's wrong on too many levels to count. You're dating a _**KANKER**_ sister. That alone should have been enough to let you know this is wrong."

"Eddy, she isn't a _disease_," Double D countered, sounding more tired than angry or annoyed. "Look, Eddy. You and Ed are my best friends, and nothing is going to ever change that. And I understand why you feel the way you do about Marie and her sisters. Mere days ago, I would've been agreeing with what you were saying now." Double D paused, before going from a sympathetic demeanor, to a serious one. "But you weren't there last night. You didn't see what I saw. Marie really wants to be with me, Eddy. There isn't a doubt in my mind about that now. I honestly believe that this relationship with her has some potential... Do you think I have to choose between having friends and having a personal relationship with Marie? I couldn't have both? Would it be so impossible for us to be friends otherwise?"

"..." Eddy just stood there, processing what Double D was asking him. He looked at him, seeing how dead serious he was being. "... So you _really_ think this thing with you and Marie could be serious?" For the first time, Eddy managed to say something regarding Marie without a hint of hatred, disgust, or annoyance. He actually sounded like he was ready to be reasoned with. "There's no chance of this just being her pulling some trick, or anything else like that? You think this is 100% legit?"

Double D nodded. "Believe me Eddy. If you were there on that date with me and Marie, I would guarantee you you wouldn't be asking me these questions." Eddy gave Double D an odd look. "While I have been asked to keep certain details of last night confidential," he continued, "I can tell you that from what I've experienced last night, I'm 100% certain that Marie truly wants to be with me on a intimate level... And I can honestly say that I'm interested in exploring that possibility."

When he heard this, Eddy let out a long, drawn-out sigh. "I see..." He then looked at Ed, who, throughout this whole confrontation, has been completely silent. Eddy was a little surprised that Ed didn't so much as state his opinion on the matter... Than again, Ed wasn't much for getting in between heated arguments, especially like what he and Double D just went through. "So... What about you, Monobrow? What do you think about Sockhead going out with Marie?"

Ed thought about it for a second, since he was finally given a chance to say something without either his friends shouting at one another. "... I don't really know, Eddy," Ed answered, rubbing the back of his neck. He then looked at Double D. "Will anything change between us?"

Double D sighed before answering. "Well, yes and no... We will still be friends. But with Marie as my girlfriend, I'm afraid I won't be spending quite as much time with you two as I usually do.." Ed frowned at the idea. "_But_," he continued, this time sounding more positive, "I'll still be around to help you with your homework. And watch monster movies whenever given the chance, and-!"

"Okay than," Ed interrupted, sounding and looking much happier. "If we can still be friends, than I'm okay with it." With that said, his long trademark grim stretched across his face. It was almost baffling how simple Ed's thought process was. All this time, the only thing he was really concerned about with this whole thing with Double D and Marie was whether or not they were still gonna be friends or not...

With that said, however, Eddy still had a bothered look on his face. He rubbed his chin as he stared at Double D, clearly in deep thought. But, after thinking for a few minutes, Eddy sighed again. "... Fine..."

Double D smiled. "So you're okay with me dating Marie?"

"Oh hell no," Eddy reassured, though in a somewhat passive way. Double D frowned. "I still have a problem with it. But I suppose if it'll make you happier in some way..." He then let out a deep groan. "... I guess I'll just have to deal with it. Like you said, these are _**YOUR**_ decisions, not mine or Ed's." Grabbing his backpack, Eddy gave Double D a tired look. "Just try to make it so it isn't so weird, okay? I don't wanna open up my van and find you two making-out..."

Catching Eddy's drift, Double D just chuckled. "... I can try, but I'm not in a position to make promises. This is _**Marie Kanker**_ we're talking about here, remember?" But as Double D chuckled, he noticed Eddy had the _"I'm Not Amused" _look on his face. "I'm kidding," he said, rolling his eyes. That's when Double D noticed what time it was. Classes started in five minutes. "Well, I guess I should get going. Marie is probably still waiting for me in the library." Double D grabbed his backpack as Ed and Eddy gathered up their assignments. "I'll see you guy in first period," he said, walking away towards the doors.

But as Double D left, Eddy looked up, shook his head, and sighed. '….. Yeah... Whatever you say, Sockhead...'

_**To Be Continued**_


	10. The First Day, Part 1

Rating: T

Pairing: Edd/Marie, and more as the story continues.

Author's Notes: Well, guess who's back... It's MEEEE! Mr. Alaska! With the tenth chapter of everyone's favorite Edd/Marie story! YAY! Sorry for the long wait for this update. I've started up a new story for Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja. Watched a couple of episodes, and kinda got somewhat hooked. It's called _**The Breaking Point**_. Rated M for language, blood, gore, and possible sexual themes... But sadly, I ain't getting many reviews. My average is only around 9 and 10 a chapter, and I only have three chapters. Why you no check it out? You no love me? :( Just kidding. Anyway, in the last chapter, you all witnessed Double D coming out and telling Ed and Eddy about his relationship with Marie... Well, after Marie straight-up kissed him in front of _**EVERYONE**_... Which was awesome! Eddy still isn't all that fond of the idea, but is willing to let Double D explore the possibility, while Ed was surprisingly passive about it. But how will life be for Double D, now that he has a girlfriend? What new challenges will await him? Read and find out! X3

Also, for now on, all thoughts in the story will be italicized. _'So it will look like this.'_

Chapter 10: The First Day, Part 1

_'… Well, that went a lot better than I anticipated it would,' _Double D thought happily, as he made his way down the hall, heading towards the library. _'I was so sure they were going to react much worse than what they did.' _Than, a big grin slowly crept onto his face. _'And here I was, panicking and sweating all over nothing. Boy, do I feel silly.'_

Ed's acceptance of the news was surprising to say the least. Double D was certain he was going to overreact and start crying, just like he did the day before after the misunderstanding of Marie kissing him in his car. But now, when it was real, Ed smile and accepted it, after Double D reassured him he was still his friend, and was still going to pal around with him when he could...

But Eddy was still against him and Marie seeing one another. He made it clear that he still didn't like or trust Marie and her sisters. To Eddy, if you had the last name _**Kanker**_, he wanted nothing to do with you. But, he begrudgingly accepted the fact that Double D was serious about his feelings for Marie, and agreed he wouldn't press his objections any further... So, seeing as that was as good as he was going to get from Eddy by this point, Double D was happy with what he got.

But as he made his way towards the library, Double passed by his fellow classmates who were all whispering to one another. Double D let out a tired, yet somewhat humorous sigh, knowing that his relationship with Marie was now known to everyone in the cal-de-sac, undoubtedly thanks to that full-on surprise kiss Marie had given him in the middle of the cafeteria. Kevin and Jonny were both giving him big smirks and raised eyebrows, whistling at him as he passed. Rolf, just as Double D predicted, was literally beaming with pride and sending him an approving thumbs up with Nazz standing next to him, blushing and giggling.

_'Well, at least I saw this coming,' _Double D thought, as his cheeks slowly started to heat up from embarrassment. He looked around for Sarah and Jimmy, after he noticed neither of them were present with the others. Double D sighed. _'I guess I should talk to Sarah at some point soon...' _He knew Ed's younger sister still had a huge crush on him, and knew that seeing him and Marie kissing for a second time had obviously left her upset. He kinda felt bad for the poor girl, knowing that the possibilities of them having any kind of relationship in the future was miniscule, even before this whole thing with Marie started.

But again, Double D will ultimately have to deal with yet another awkward and uncomfortable problem head on, just like always.

As the doors to the library came into view, Double D let out a relieved sigh. It was weird, Double D couldn't help but think. All his life he had been running away from Marie and her sisters, dreading the constant barrage of kisses that followed after each and every capture. But now, the idea of the blue-haired Kanker sister brought an odd sense of security to him. He was actually looking forward to seeing Marie again. He chuckled to himself as he neared the doors. _'It definitely beats being afraid her,' _Double D thought happily, as he reached for the door handle.

When he opened the door and walked in, he saw Marie sitting in the back of the library, sitting at Double D's preferred table with her back to him. She was looking out the large window with her head propped on her hands and elbows on the table, watching a light snow slowly drifted down from the sky.

Smiling softly, Double D took a deep breath and began walking towards the Kanker. She didn't hear the door to the library open and slam shut, clearly enamored by the light snowfall. So, clearing his throat, Double D made his presence known. "Peaceful, isn't it?"

His question was soft, but loud enough to break Marie out of her trance. At the sound of his voice, Marie's body jolted from a little bit from surprise, and swung her head around. When she saw Double D, she rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yeah, I guess so," she answered, as he walked up and sat next to her. Double D than placed his backpack on the floor, leaned back in his chair and let out a deep breath. Marie sent him a curious look. "So... How did they take it?"

Double D could hear the amount of concern in Marie's voice when she asked. She was genuinely concerned that his long-standing friendship with Ed and Eddy was in jeopardy because of their relationship. But, Double D let out a tired sigh. "Well, I can honestly say it went much better than I thought it would," he answered, getting a relieved look from Marie. "Ed wasn't really as against us being together as I thought he would be. His main concern was regarding how our friendship would be, now that you and I are dating. After I assured him that nothing about our friendship will change, he seemed rather content with the idea of us seeing one another..."

But when Double D paused after saying that, Marie saw him hesitate to continue. She raised an eyebrow. "What about Eddy?"

"..." Double D didn't answer her question at first. He instead let out a deep sigh and started to massage the bridge of his nose. He hoped his silence would've been enough on an answer for Marie. But when his silence only managed to bring an even more concerned look to Marie's face, Double D answered.

"Eddy is very much against us seeing each other," he replied, sitting back up straight and placing his arms on the table. "He believes it is somehow wrong for us to be in a productive relationship together, especially given our history with you and your sisters..." Double D immediately noticed that after he had said that, a somewhat guilty frown made its way onto Marie's face. "But," he continued, "I assured him that I was fully committed in pursuing our relationship, with or without his approval. And, while reluctantly, Eddy eventually accepted that fact and agreed he wouldn't interfere with us being together... He sadly still doesn't trust or like you, but he said he will cope with it."

After hearing that, Marie started to perk up. "Well, I guess I can handle one of those two idiots hating me," she said, a small smile forming on her lips. "I mean, I can obviously handle both not liking me," she continued, sounding tough about it. "But, I'm glad I only have to deal with the loud-mouthed one..." She paused for a second, and looked at Double D. He had on a small grin, but it seemed a little forced to Marie.

"Are you okay with this?" She asked. Double D sent her a questionable look. "With one of your friends objecting to us seeing each other, I mean."

Double D sighed. "Well, I'll admit it would be great if he had the same attitude as Ed," he answered softly, scratching the back of his neck. "But I knew he would react like this. And I'm not sure if he'll ever really be okay with us being together..." But than, Double D slowly slid his hand across the table, and brought it over Marie's hand. She blushed a little, both from it being so unexpected and intimate. Marie looked up, and caught Double D looking back at her, with a warm smile plastered across his face. "... But if that ends up being the case, than so be it. That will be his problem to deal with, not ours."

"..." There it was again. Marie stared at Double D, as she allowed his kind words to sink in. She could feel the meaning behind what he had just said, and it made her tough exterior falter. To hear Double D say he didn't care if Eddy accepted them being together or not left Marie without words. Sure, she knew Eddy wouldn't like her anymore now that she was with his best friend. And she was fairly certain Double D wouldn't have broken up with her, just because his friend didn't like it... But to hear him say it the way he did took Marie back a bit. Her face felt like it was on fire. She knew she was blushing like crazy. Embarrassed, Marie looked down to one side, but didn't pull her hand away.

Double D once again refrained from chuckling at the Marie's embarrassed reaction. This was the second time he managed to embarrass her, the first being on the way to Antonucci's. _I never knew Marie can be embarrassed so easily with affectionate wordplay, _Double D thought. Albeit, embarrassing her wasn't his intentions. He was just being truthful. "Are you okay, Marie?"

Marie didn't detect the false innocents in Double D's voice. "I-I'm alright," she stammered, rubbing her forehead. She didn't look back up immediately. She instead took a few deep yet quiet breaths, trying to cool herself down. Marie wasn't used to someone saying such meaningful stuff to her. It was odd having an actual boyfriend now, especially one who she had had her eye on for years. She wasn't entirely sure on how to react when Double D said something sweet like that...

_**Ring!**_

And there is was. The bell for first period. Looking up at the clock, Double D let out a tired groan. He wasn't looking forward to going to class. He knew that the amount of questions and teasing were going to be off the charts today. It wasn't going to be like all the other times. Now, with his and Marie's relationship being made public, he knew he was in for extra-ordinarily long day... But, there wasn't anyway of getting around it. As he stood up, Marie soon followed suit. He looked at Marie as he grabbed his backpack and threw it over his shoulder. "You sure you are okay?"

Marie nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," she assured him, sounding more sure of herself. They then walked to the door together, exited the library, and stopped in the middle of the hall. He and Marie had two different first period classes. They were on two different ends of the school, as a matter of fact. So, for a second, Double D and Marie stood there, looking at one another. After a couple of seconds, Marie broke the silence. "So... I guess I'll see you at lunch, than."

Double D nodded and smiled. "Of course. That's the only time we can see each other," he reminded, earning a smirk and rolled eyes from Marie. "Or, possibly during the passing time allowed after classes. We are given five minutes in between classes, after all. And if I'm not mistaking, I think we are right next to each other during third per-!"

Double D was cut off yet again by Marie, who silenced him by grabbing his tie, pulling him down and firmly pressing her lips against his. He let out a surprised muffled yelp, but immediately after started to melt into her. _I'm never going to get used to her doing that, _he thought, as he lazily began to press his lips back against her's...

It was weird kissing Marie, but not in a bad way. It was just that kissing seemed to come more naturally to Marie than it did to Double D. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the kiss. Far from it. He was starting to find it to be one of the more pleasant experiences in his life... Marie was more rough and demanding when she kissed him, while the only time Double D actually kissed _her _was the one at the end of their date, which was gentle and passionate...

But, as Double D started to take in the smell of Marie's lilac perfume, he simply continued to melt into the kiss, completely content with allowing her to take control of the situation, yet again.

The kiss only lasted a good 15 seconds before Marie broke it. Letting go of his tie, she smiled at him. "Don't forget my chocolate bar," she said, before winking and sticking her tongue out at him, playfully. "I have a serious sweet-tooth, don't you know?" Double D, who was straightening out his tie and blushing, looked at her with a tired grin and nodded. "Good," she said, sounding chipper. "See you than, _**Dreamboat**_." And, with that, Marie spun around on her heels and began to walk off.

Double D watched her as she made her way down the hall for a few moments, before realizing he needed to be at his class, as well. So, after fixing his tie for the third time that day, Double D took a deep breath and went in the opposite direction, not looking forward to what laid ahead of him.

_**At Math Class...**_

When Double D entered his first period Math Class, he wasn't surprised to see everyone was already there. Ed, Eddy, Rolf, Nazz, Kevin and Jonny. Everyone was accounted for. Ed and Eddy were in the far back, which was usual. But Double D let out a groan of dismay when he saw how the others were seated. Rolf was sitting to the left of his preferred seat, Nazz was sitting to the right, Kevin was sitting behind it and Jonny was sitting directly in front of it. And they were all whispering to one another. 'G_reat, they have me trapped like a rat,' _Double D thought, as he slowly made his way towards his seat. _'No sense in giving me a chance to escape, huh? Well played...'_ Sure, he _**could**_ sit somewhere else... But they would follow him. So why bother?

When his presence was made known, everyone stopped whispering and stared at him as he walked up, took his seat and began to rummage through his backpack.

Double D pulled out his Math book and placed it in the middle of his desk. But, when he started to flip through the pages, Nazz started. "So... How did your date with Marie go last night? Did it go well?" Double D could hear Nazz suppressing giggles as she asked a question that everyone already knew the answer to. He turned to her and sent her a tired look that asked _"Really?" _But, ignoring it, Nazz smiled cheerfully and continued. "Because from what we saw back there, I would guess it went pretty well."

Double D let out a deep sigh before turning to Nazz, who was trying her best to keep from giggling. Though, she didn't look too convincing, with her biting down on her bottom lip and all. But nevertheless Double D, going against his better judgment, decided to _indulge_ her. "Yes, it went rather well, actually," Double D replied, keeping his eyes down at his book as he continued to flip through it, not really looking for a specific page by this point.

"Yeah, I bet it did," Kevin agreed it, leaning back in his chair. Double D didn't need to turn around to know Kevin was sending him a smug grin. Double D rolled his eyes, knowing all too well that Kevin had more to say. "So Dorky, when should we be expected to see little blue-haired, gap-toothed _Dork-lings_ running around Peach Creak? You two are at least going to wait until after high school, aren't ya?"

Double D, embarrassed beyond belief that Kevin had the audacity to imply something like that, buried his face in his arms. _God, if you can hear me, please kill me now... Pretty please? _But no luck. God apparently found this just as amusing as the others.

As Kevin and Jonny began to laugh at Double D's embarrassment, Rolf took the opportunity to talk. "You are on your way to becoming a man, Brainy Ed-boy," he said cheerfully, giving Double D a congratulatory slap on the back... Which almost knocked both his hat off his head and the air out his lungs. "But I agree with Kevin. It is best to wait until you are free from this infernal institution of numbers and quizzes before you and the Kanker girl plan on producing offspring." Hearing this only made Double D blush even brighter, knowing Rolf was being dead serious. Kevin and Jonny continued to laugh even harder as Rolf went on. "Back in the old country, girls of her fiery and un-tameable nature go on to bare many children," he continued, wiggling his eyebrows at Double D, followed by Rolf nudging him with his elbow and winking. "Do you catch my drift, Double D Ed-boy?"

"..." Double D was so red in the face, you would've thought steam would be drifting out of his ears. Covering his upper face with his hands, Double D slowly nodded his head. "Yes, Rolf... I did indeed catch your meaning," he answered, his voice being shaky, and barely audible. "... B-but I can assure you th-that won't be a possibility a-anytime soon."

"Ha! I wouldn't say that just quite yet, Double Dweeb," Kevin interjected, letting out a smug laugh. "Judging from how little control you had over that little _encounter_ with your girlfriend earlier today, it's painfully clear _**Marie **_wears the pants in your guys' relationship." Kevin than cocked an eyebrow, smirked, and shook his head. "And she will be the one who decides when they come _off_. So, I doubt you'll have much of a say in it when that time comes... And after seeing how little you're able to resist her, I'd bet you wouldn't mind letting her have her way with you."

_'This can't be happening,' _Double D thought miserably, as he let out a horrifying moan into his arms. This was even _**worse **_than what he was expecting! This was 10 times worse than what he ever expected he'd have to endure. '_Come on now, God. One good lightning bolt should do the trick. If you truly loved me, you would grant me this mercy killing.' _But again, to his disappointment, no merciful lightning bolt for poor unfortunate Double D. He was left to endure further...

And to think, class hasn't even started yet.

Meanwhile, Ed and Eddy watched as their friend continued to be bombarded with ridicule and questions. While Kevin continued to prolong Double D's embarrassment by keeping the _"Dork-lings" _subject going, Ed turned to Eddy. "Ummm... Eddy? Should we help Double D?"

Eddy, who was actually finding the whole situation humorous, shook his head. "Hell no, Lumpy," he said, chuckling at his friend's expense. "Double D doesn't need our help with this. He has it all under control... You can't see it, but he does."

Looking from Double D, who was as red as a boiled lobster and covering his face with embarrassment, and looked back to Eddy. "Really?" Smiling devilishly, Eddy nodded. "Oh... Okay!" And with that, Ed went back to staring dumbly at the chalkboard.

_**To Be Continued...**_


	11. The First Day, Part 2

Rating: T

Pairing: Edd/Marie

Author's Notes: Hello again, everyone. It is me, Mr. Alaska. As you can see, it has been about four months or so since last updated everyone's favorite Edd/Marie story. And, for that, I am sorry. What can I say? A whole mess of things happened. Major writer's block, hectic work schedule... Basically life happened. So again, I am sorry if I made any of you think I was going on another hell'a long hiatus again. My bad. But no worries, kiddies. I am back with the next installment of Ed, Edd n' Eddy: Senior Year. So I'll spare with the recap, and just dive right back into the story. Hope it will be worth the wait. :D

Also, this is going to be another short, but Edd/Marie-filled chapter. So please don't hate me.

Chapter 11: The First Day, Part 2

_'Well... So far this day is turning out to be just as I predicted it would be,' _Double D thought, letting out a long, tired sigh as he sat down at his and his friends' respected lunch table. It was now lunch, and Double D was already wishing the day would end sooner. Slowly pulling his backpack off his shoulders and plopping it on the tiled floor, he lazily started rummaging through it. _'And to think, the school day isn't even over yet.' _With that thought fresh in his mind, he couldn't help but think back to earlier that day. And, like he just told himself, it was just as he was expecting. After the truth came out about his new found relationship with Marie Kanker (Due mostly to Marie's less than subtle display of affection in the cafeteria that morning) everything started falling into place. Teasing and crude jokes from Kevin and Jonny. An overjoyed display of pride from Rolf. A constant _"I knew it" _and _"I told you so" _look from Nazz, followed by her saying what her looks were already telling him. And Sarah completely avoiding him, with Jimmy with her to console her.

But, Double D smiled when he reminded himself something. While all the others' reactions were predictable, Double D was happily surprised at how Ed and Eddy took the news. Sure, at first they reacted exactly how he imagined they would. With Ed being sad in his usual overly-dramatic way, and Eddy being confused and annoyed by the news of him and Marie being an _item_. But, Double D was pleasantly surprised at how understanding they were after he explained everything to them. Sure, Eddy still didn't agree with the choice he had made. But, in the end, both he and Ed accepted it.

Just than, something dawned on Double D. Both Ed and Eddy weren't at the table yet. Curious, Double D looked around the cafeteria. Everyone else were there. Nazz, Rolf, Kevin and Jonny were all sitting at the table in the middle of the room (No doubt talking about Peach Creek High's newest couple) while Sarah and Jimmy sat at a table that was on the complete opposite side of the cafeteria, no doubt coping with the news that _"her man" _was swiped away by Marie. Thinking of how he was going to deal with Sarah caused Double D to let out a long, unenthusiastic sigh.

But, in all honesty, Double D was actually relieved at how the day was turning out. He knew he would have to face some sort of ridicule, of course. But, so far, that ridicule wasn't really worth the anxiety he had on the morning's drive there. He thought he was going to have to go through worse that what he did. _'And here I was, freaking out about nothing,' _he thought to himself, letting out a small chuckle. Reaching into his paper bag, he pulled out his nicely wrapped ham sandwich. Peeling away the wrap, to where only the top portion was bare, he took a bite. _'Besides the expected and juvenile jokes from both Kevin and Jonny, it feels like just another ordinary day... Almost as if nothing has cha-!'_

"Hiya, Cutie-Pie!" All of a sudden, two arms came around his unsuspecting person, which was proceeded by Marie's all too familiar voice. Before he knew it, Double D found himself caught in a surprise and unforeseen hug. Caught off guard, the poor boy nearly choked on the mouthful of sandwich. "You have my chocolate bar? Mama has a sweet-tooth!"

_'OH DEAR LORD!' _As a result from the silent and unexpected embrace from behind, poor Double D almost choked on the bite of sandwich he had just took. After letting out a muffled yelp, he forced the partially chewed bite down his throat. And, after taking a couple of deep breaths, Double D turned to Marie, still embracing his torso, wearing a cat-like mischievous grin. "... G-good e-evening Marie," Double D replied, letting out a nervous cough in between. "I take it y-you've missed me since this morning?"

The Kanker sent him a guilty/evil smirk and nodded her head, tightening her hold on him. "Maaaaaaybe," she sang, sticking out her tongue at him playfully. "Four whole periods without my Sugar-Lump to cuddle with is about all I can take." Than, she nuzzles her face into Double D's back. In the distance, he could hear that the other occupants of the cafeteria, Nazz, Rolf, Kevin and Jonny, had grown silent with their conversations. And he didn't even have to turn around to look at them to know they were all looking at them.

Embarrassment began to sink in as Double D's face slowly but steadily started to grow redder and redder. "I-I see," Double D answered, his voice a little shaky from the whole suddenness of the hug. After clearing his throat, he tried to get his composure back. "Well, it is indeed nice to see you too," he answered, sounding a lot more clear and audible than before. "Please... W-would you like to take a seat?"

"Daaaaaw. Do I have to?" Marie asked, pretending to be hurt in some form or another, using an overly innocent voice. "Don't you like my hugs, Double D?" She followed that up by nuzzling her face even deeper into his back. But, as she said that, it was apparent that she was still smiling in her usual mischievous manner. She knew that while embarrassed as he was, Double D was enjoying it. She could tell by both his face, and the fact that he hadn't asked her to stop. But, while she was relishing in that fact, she figured she should ease up a little. "Alright," she said, finally releasing her hold on Double D. "I was getting tired of standing anyway."

As Marie walked around the table and took the seat across from him, Double D couldn't help but find what just happened a little humorous. Even now, after everything that had happened between them the night before, Double D still found the fact that it happened quite unbelievable. After years of running, one simple date changed everything over night. Marie went from being his childhood tormentor to being his girlfriend in the short span of only 24hrs. Now, he found himself welcoming her affection, rather than running from it. But what was funny was that even now, as his girlfriend, Double D now found Marie's natural fiery and smothering personality more endearing, rather than intimidating or terrifying.

Double D cleared his throat once more. "I see you are the only one of your sisters to show up again," he began casually, as he straightened up his tie. (Nervous Tendency) "May I inquire why?"

Marie smiled. "What can I say? I would be skipping too if I didn't have a handsome, gap-toothed reason for showing up," she replied, winking at the boy sitting across from her. A small grin formed on the side of Double D's face, feeling somewhat flattered by the statement. "Yeah, Lee and May are taking today off to think of ways to get their Eds," she continued. "Ever since I told them about our date, they've pretty much been hating my guts. So now they're going to try even harder to get Ed and Eddy."

"Is that so?" Double D asked. Marie rolled her eyes and nodded. "Splendid," he sighed, "I suppose when that happens, Eddy will end up blaming me for it... Wonderful..." Double D scratched the back of his neck, as he thought about it. "Aw well. I suppose it was going to be inevitable from the start." He took another bite of his sandwich, in a small attempt to get his mind off it.

"Sorry I made Eddy turn on you," Marie said, using a tone that was a mixture of both joking and serious.

But Double D shrugged off the apology. "Don't be," he assured her, placing his sandwich down on the table. "I can't say I didn't see this as a possible outcome. Out of the two, I was certain Eddy was going to make the biggest deal out of the news. He just needs time to cope, is all... Besides," he added, as he reached into his paper bag, "I'm sure that after he sees how happy we can be together, he'll slowly begin to change his opinion on you. All he needs is time." Than, Double D found what he was looking for. From his bag, he pulled out his large chocolate bar, and handed it over to Marie.

Happily, Marie accepted it and smiled. "Well... I guess he's just being protective of his friend, is all," she said, unwrapping the chocolate bar and taking a bite. "After all, me and my sisters _did _do some pretty nasty stuff to you guys back then. Can't really say I blame him..." Just than, a thought occurred that brought a smile to Marie's face. "I guess Lee will have her work cut out for her when it comes to getting Eddy to take her, huh?"

When the thought crossed Double D's mind, he too chuckled at the idea. "Him and Lee as boyfriend and girlfriend... Now that would be an interesting sight indeed."

"To be honest, I don't see what Lee finds so interesting with Eddy," Marie added, taking another bite from her chocolate bar. "I mean, Eddy is loud, obnoxious, pushy, stubborn, not all that much to look at... Even now, I don't see what Lee sees in him."

When he heard this, Double D chuckled. "That's funny," he remarked, taking a drink from his soda, "because those are some of the same words Eddy used to describe Lee... Albeit, I don't remember him ever saying anything about her looks before." Marie gave him a curious look after learning this. "I suppose Lee likes Eddy because of how similar they are to one another," Double D continued, smiling a little bit more as he thought about it. "And I suppose the same could be said about May's affection for Ed. Even when you three were chasing us, May had always showed herself to be more compassionate, much like Ed is. Plus, both Ed and May are... Well," he said, trying to come up with the right word. "You know..."

"Both dumb as a bag of rocks?" Marie answered.

"... Short-sighted is how I would've put it," Double D clarified reassuringly, causing Marie to roll her eyes. "But bluntly speaking, yes. It seems that Lee and May are infatuatedEd and Eddy because both them and your sisters share some similar traits in one form or another. Eddy and Lee are both dominant leaders in nature, both being the unspoken leaders of the Eds and the Kankers, while Ed and May are the _short-sighted _but ever obedient followers... So simply put, they're all both opposite and yet the same, if that makes any sense." Even as he said that, Double D scratched the back of his head, unsure of how accurate or clear his assumptions on the matter were. "Well, that's just my theory, anyway..."

As Marie listened to Double D's reasoning, she took a second to consider what he had just said. "Actually, when you say it like that," she answered, nodding her head, "it makes a hell of a lot of sense." Double D grinned when he heard Marie validating his theory, and took a bite from his sandwich. She than raised an eyebrow, and leaned forward a little bit with a long smile. "So does that mean it was my looks and smarts that finally won you over?"

"..." Double D paused before answering that question. He loosened his tie a little when he started to feel himself getting warmer. From the tone in her voice and the look on her face, Double D could tell that Marie was feeling a little flirtatious. "... It was quite more than that, I can assure you," he answered cautiously.

Seeing Double D getting nervous caused a smirk of guilty pleasure to appear on Marie's face. Propping her head up with her hands, she leaned even further across the table, smiling lazily at the boy. It because clear to Marie that while being the most articulate kid in school, Double D was obviously a stranger when it came to intimate conversation. Even on their date, all they did was talk casually. But now, officially boyfriend and girlfriend, it became painfully clear that Double D didn't know how to answer her simple, yet intimate question... But, that didn't stop Marie. "Oh really? Care to elaborate, _Lover-Boy_?"

Double D, with a nervous sweet forming on his brow, cleared his throat. "Well... I suppose it was a number of different things," he started, sounding a little timid. "... Yes, I suppose I do find you to be the most cunning of you and your sisters... Which, of course, cunning being connected to intelligences, would confirm your accusation of your intellect being an attractive attribute..." Double D paused again, his face as red as a sunburn. Marie continued to look at him with her signature cat-like grin, indicating that she was in fact relishing in his response. "A-and yes," he continued. "While I've never been one to care about looks, I am willing to admit I have found you to be quite lovely ever since that kiss... Or perhaps even more so." He swallowed hard as Marie's smile slowly started to grow wider. Now she was twirling a lock of her hair around her index finger as she waited for him to continue. "B-but I guess what ultimately convince me was how persistent and forward you were... It seems that what I used to find brash or intimidating, I now somehow find endearing. I-I can't really explain what that is, honestly... But it is true... I suppose that, somewhere along the line, I have grown accustomed to your fiery nature, to where it doesn't frighten me... As much... And, w-well... I, ummm..."

So there is was. That was Double D's reasoning. Embarrassed by how it sounded, Double D looked down to avoid Marie's gaze. He had never spoken about anything as personal as what he had just done. He didn't know why it was so hard for him, especially given what they have already gone through the night before. He figured that after that night, dealing and talking to Marie would've been easier. But yet here he was, struggling to answer a simple, meaningful question.

And then...

"Hehehe..." Double D heard what sounded like snickering. Looking up, he could see that it was in fact Marie who was snickering. Marie was covering her mouth to try to stop herself. But when they made eye contact, allowing Marie to see how red Double D was, it caused her to laugh even harder. Embarrassed beyond belief, knowing that surely everyone was looking at them due to Marie's loud laughter, Double D covered his face even more as she continued. "Hahahaha! Oh my God, that was too good," she cried, with tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry," she repeated, literally gasping for air, "but that was to Goddamn funny! Hahaha!"

"..." Double D sat there, embarrassed and horrified, while Marie continued to laugh at him. For what? The poor boy had no clue. He had pretty much spilled his guts about what she wanted to know to the best of his abilities, and she replies by laughing hysterically at him. And, to make matters worse, he could feel the curious and confused looks of all the others practically burning holes into his back. "D-did I-I say s-something w-wrong?" Double D stuttered, glancing up at Marie who was now, in fact, wiping tears from her eyes from laughing so hard.

When she finally regained some of her composure, she looked up at him with wide grin and shook her head. "Hehehe... N-no, not at all Double D," she answered, still trying to keep herself from laughing some more. "I'm sorry I laughed at you, Sweetie," she apologized, sitting back up straight. "I just couldn't help myself. That answer was just so you. You sounded so calculated and precise. You were trying so hard to say that, it was simply too adorable not to laugh at..." After seeing how red he was, she immediately got an idea. "Aaaaw. Poor thing," she added, reaching out and caressing one side of Double D's face, "you got so embarrassed when I laughed at you, huh?" Now she was talking to him as if he was a little puppy or even a baby. "I'm sowwy, Babe."

Double D, after hearing her making fun of him, allowed a frown to appear on his face, looked away, and crossed his arms across his chest. Double D, as uncharacteristic as it sounds, was in fact pouting from Marie making fun of him. "... I'm so very glad you find my short-comings amusing, Marie," he grumbled, still not looking back at Marie, who was still trying her best not to laugh anymore. Her hand was still resting against his face, as if to make him feel better about getting embarrassed. And, to some extent, Double D had to admit that despite being somewhat humiliated by his own girlfriend, he did appreciate her touch.

When he refused to look back at her, Marie smiled. "... Are you mad at me?" She asked, batting an eyelash at him and sounding innocent about it.

"... Maybe a little," Double D replied quietly, still pouting as if he was actually irritated.

"Would a kiss make things better?" Marie asked again, this time, slowly leaning her way forward across the table.

Double D caught her slowly leaning forward from the corner of his eye. When he saw that, he realized it was going to happen regardless of how he answered back... Though, by this point, he couldn't really say he had a legitimate objection to it. "... I suppose it couldn't hurt," he answered, finally turning his head back around so that now they were looking at one another. He was still beat red in the face, but now he had an **(T_T)**look on his face, due to the fact that he was a little irritated from being laughed at... Only a little, though. Marie didn't bother to answer back. She merely flashed him a sly smile before reaching out, grabbing the back of his neck with both hands, and pulling him in for a firm kiss.

And there it was again. The feeling of kissing Marie Kanker, and having absolutely no problem with it. Double D had to admit while it was still a weird feeling, it was ultimately a good one. He didn't even pay no mind to Kevin when he heard him whistle at them from the other table, followed by him shouting, "Get a room, you two!" Marie slowly moved her hands from behind Double D's neck and instead gently started to caress both sides of his face as the kiss lingered. Double D's fake pout slowly melted into a warm, lazy smile as he finally gave into the sensation. Needless to say, he was proud of himself. Sure, he was a little annoyed when Marie started to laugh at him... But the whole pouting thing was all an act. He was embarrassed, but not that embarrassed. He just though he would play along, since pouting would've been the perfect thing to go with the situation.

... At least with Marie, it was.

"... Having a nice lunch, Romeo?" Just than, Double D and Marie heard an all to familiar deep voice. Abruptly breaking the kiss (Much to Marie's disappointment) Double D turned around to see both Ed and Eddy, standing behind them with trays of food. Neither of them knew now long both had been standing there. Eddy looked down at Double D with an annoyed/disgusted expression. Ed on the other hand had a blank look, with no real emotion visible. At first, Ed and Eddy just looked down at Double D and Marie, with Double D straightening up his clothes frantically and Marie sending them both annoyed looks. But, after a few seconds of silents, Eddy sighed. "Sorry we're late," he began, as he and Ed sat on either side of Double D. "Teacher made me and Mono-Brow stay after class."

Seeing as how neither Ed or Eddy were making a fuss about Marie sitting at their table or about what they had just witnessed, Double D allowed a small smile to show. "Th-that's quite alright, Eddy," he stated, folding his arms on the table. He then turned to Ed, who was, like Eddy, already going at his lunch. "I hope you two don't mind if Marie sits with us."

There was a moment of silence again between the Eds, as Eddy looked from Double D to Marie. Though, only after about three seconds of thinking, Eddy let out a sigh. "Hey, last time I checked it was a free country," Eddy grumbled, not even looking up from his tray. As you could expect, it wasn't an enthusiastic response, but more of a non-caring "whatever" kind of response. "Just as long as you two promise not to suck each others faces while we're eating."

"Last time I checked it was a free country," Marie replied, quoting Eddy's initial response. Eddy looked up from his tray and sent an annoyed scowl at Marie, who simply looked back at him with a confident smirk. Eddy narrowed his eyes at the Kanker, while Double D and Ed looked at each other, concerned. But, after a few seconds, Marie sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. If it bothers you that much, I'll warn you ahead of time so you can look away. How's that sound, Big Guy?"

Eddy, at first, just continued to send the girl a dirty look. It was clear that Marie wasn't going to play by anyone's rules but her own, and Eddy let out a low grumble when he realized that. So, crossing his arms across his chest, he reluctantly nodded, while still keeping his annoyed scowl aimed at her. But, Marie smiled triumphantly, completely ignoring Eddy's frown.

"Glad you saw it my way," she said, reaching out and patting Eddy atop the head.

_**To Be Continued...**_

Hehehehe... Looks like Marie has infiltrated the Eds. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! XD Alright, I have to be completely honest with you. I was planning on making this chapter longer. But I have a lot going on right now, so I might not be able to update again for some time. And also, I will try to make things get a little bit more serious after this chapter. Because as you could see, this was plainly a Edd/Marie fluffy chapter. I know, I suck. I would've done more, but I have a lot on my plate. Plus I have another story to update because of popular demand. So please forgive me if you don't hear back from me again. But please enjoy this chapter. I will try to update as soon as I possibly can. Also, I know I haven't given any of the other characters much dialog lately. Well, don't worry. I'll try to incorporate more characters into this story soon. STAY LOYAL, MY READERS! BETTER CHAPTERS ARE ON THE WAY! :D


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